Actor Atlee Brar held for Rs 3.7 cr land fraud

Tuesday, 19/11/2013

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20131119/punjab.htm#1

Muktsar : The economic offences wing of the district has arrested model-turned-actor Sukhjinder Singh alias Atlee Brar of Dabwali Malko Ki village in the Lambi assembly segment for allegedly committing a fraud of Rs 3.7 crore.

He is in judicial remand. A pistol and 30 live cartridges have been seized from his possession, the police said.

A day after his arrest, the district police on November 15 suspended Sub-Inspector Darbar Singh, investigating officer in the case, who is in charge of the economic offences wing.

Atlee is said to be an influential person with a relative in a senior position in the police department. He has worked with actors like Jeetendra and the late Dev Anand.

The victim, Harjeet Singh of Danewala village, told The Tribune that he paid Atlee Rs 2 lakh on April 11, 2012, to finalise a deal for 32 acres of land.

“Atlee promised to get the land deed registered in my name on October 12, 2012. By that time, I had already paid him Rs 1.35 crore through bank and cash. But he postponed the same till February 20, 2013. By then, I had paid him the entire amount (Rs 3.70 crore). The money was given to him in the presence of witnesses.

“On the decided date, Atlee did not appear before the tehsildar and stopped answering my phone calls. In the meantime, agent Krishan Kumar kept promising me that if the land was not transferred in my name, the entire amount would be refunded, which did not happen,” Harjeet Singh said.

Thereafter, Harjeet Singh approached the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Muktsar, who marked an inquiry to Deputy Superintendent of police (DSP) Darshan Singh.

In his report, Darshan Singh indicted Atlee and a case was registered against him under Section 420 of the IPC on September 23, 2013, with the Malout police station.

Talking to the Tribune, Darshan Singh said: “I made several attempts to speak to the accused over the phone, but he did not respond. Thereafter, he was summoned thrice, but failed to appear.

“Meantime, the matter was probed, the statements of certain witnesses recorded and a case of fraud recommended to be registered against him.”

Acting on the DSP’s probe report, the EOW staff then registered a case against Atlee who was arrested from his house on November 14.

Atlee’s wife and father alleged that SI Darbar Singh, who headed the team that arrrested him, had misbehaved with them. Their names were later included in the FIR.

When contacted, SSP Surjit Singh said, the SI had been suspended after serious allegations levelled against him by Atlee’s wife and father.

The police has now formed a special investigating team (SIT) comprising officers of three districts to look into the matter.

The case

Atlee is said to be an influential person with a relative in a senior position in the police department
He allegedly struck a deal with Harjeet Singh of Danewala village for 32 acres of land
Despite being paid the full amount, he failed to register the land in the buyer's name
A probe by a DSP found him guilty and he was arrested by EOW wing on Nov 14
The SI, who went to arrest him, suspended on complaint of Atlee’s wife, father