Chhattisgarh High Court Quashes All FIRs Against IPS GP Singh, Citing Lack of Evidence and Political Vendetta

Raipur
The Chhattisgarh High Court has granted significant relief to IPS officer GP Singh, who was entangled in cases of disproportionate assets, sedition, and blackmail. A bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Agrawal has quashed all three FIRs filed against him, stating that he was falsely implicated to harass him, and that there is no solid evidence against him in any of the cases, as confirmed by GP Singh’s advocate, Himanshu Pandey.

In response to a petition challenging the FIRs, GP Singh had argued that he was targeted in a political conspiracy by the former administration. The High Court observed that FIRs were filed without any evidence, solely to harass him, and that none of the cases had grounds for legal proceedings. After hearing all parties, the court ordered the quashing of all three FIRs.

The ACB had conducted raids on multiple locations, including Singh’s official residence, in 2021, recovering undisclosed assets worth Rs10 crore along with sensitive documents. This led to a sedition charge against Singh, alleging he was plotting to destabilize the government. Subsequently, he was suspended in July 2021, with the sedition case following shortly.

Earlier this year, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) provided relief to Singh, instructing the state to resolve all pending matters and reinstate him within four weeks. However, in July 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs, based on the state government’s recommendation, mandated his compulsory retirement.

July 1, 2021: ACB-EOW teams conducted raids at Singh’s residences in Raipur, Rajnandgaon, and Odisha.
FIR Registration: An FIR was filed against Singh, revealing assets worth over Rs 5 crore on the first day, which eventually grew to Rs 10 crore.
Accusations: Singh faced accusations related to assault, financial dealings with a surrendered Naxal commander, and helping an accused in a Raipur case.
Suspension: On July 5, the state government suspended Singh, stating such conduct was not expected of an officer.
Legal Battles: Singh’s legal team filed pleas in the High Court and Supreme Court but initially received no relief.
Arrest and Detention: In January 2022, Singh was apprehended in Gurgaon and brought to Raipur, where he was detained for 120 days in Raipur Central Jail.
Notably, Singh, a former ACB chief, faced allegations of extortion and intimidation. During the raids, a diary was seized, containing details against some officials and leaders, leading to additional sedition charges. Upon his release, the court restricted him from residing in Raipur or speaking to the media regarding the case.