Chandigarh: DSP Raka Ghirra convicted in 2011 Graft Case

Former Punjab Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Raka Ghirra, aged 60, has been found guilty in a corruption case dating back to 2011. The case involved Ghirra accepting a bribe of ₹1 lakh from a realtor to settle a land dispute. She was convicted under Sections 7, 13 (1) (d), and 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The sentencing is scheduled for February 7.

In 2011, Ghirra was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from her residence in Sector 15, Chandigarh, after being caught accepting the bribe. The trap was set following a complaint from Krishna Kumar Malhotra, who alleged that Ghirra had demanded a bribe of ₹2 lakh to resolve a land dispute investigation against him.

During the trial, the complainant, Krishna Kumar Malhotra, turned hostile, alleging threats to his and his family's life from influential individuals, including politicians, bureaucrats, and police officers.

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Legal proceedings:

The CBI filed a chargesheet against Ghirra in April 2012, charging her with criminal conspiracy and corruption. Her reader, Manmohan Singh, was also arrested but later became an approver in the case. In 2018, the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed the trial proceedings, which were resumed only in August 2023 after the vacation of the stay order. On February 5, 2024, a special CBI court convicted Ghirra, leading to her immediate arrest. Ghirra was recruited into the Punjab Police on compassionate grounds in 2001 after her husband's death. She rose to the rank of DSP by 2007 but now faces the consequences of her involvement in corruption.The sentencing of Raka Ghirra is set to take place on February 7, determining the extent of punishment she will receive for her crimes.

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Case Timeline:

- July 2011: CBI arrests Raka Ghirra for accepting a bribe from a realtor.
- April 2012: CBI files chargesheet against Ghirra.
- 2018: Punjab and Haryana High Court orders stay on trial proceedings.
- August 2023: High court vacates the stay.
- February 5, 2024: Special CBI court convicts Ghirra.