Tapegate: Judicial officer proceeds on leave

CHANDIGARH: JS Bhinder, a judicial officer posted in Ferozepur and whose name figures in damning Punjab vigilance bureau reports alleging middleman-judge nexus, has proceeded on leave till July 1.
The development assumes significance as the vigilance still awaits the elusive go-ahead for completing its probe into those aspects of tapegate which directly relate to the alleged role of some Punjab and Haryana High Court judges whose names pop up in taped conversations of touts, including a lower-rung politician, lawyer and judge���s son.
"Though Bhinder���s leave has been duly sanctioned, yet its timing has raised hackles since the officer finds himself caught in a raging controversy over a host of issues. Once the judicial officer moves out of Indian law jurisdiction, it will be virtually impossible for the vigilance to examine him in future and will seriously jeopardise prospects of the probe," said sources.
The vigilance had made startling revelations about Bhinder���s alleged hobnobbing with ���tout��� Ram Lal in a paragraph titled ���Purchase of house/flat in Canada for JS Bhinder���, ref no 140/PA/DVB, dated July 25, 2008���. This apart, Bhinder���s missive, dated August 4, 2008, to vigilance director Sumedh Singh Saini refers to two letters that "were signed" from him "by justice Mehtab Singh Gill on false grounds."
The two letters which Bhinder referred to were reportedly aimed at framing lawyer Mukesh Mittal, Saini, HC judge Hemant Gupta and a TV journalist in a false accusation case. "I have transcripts of his (justice Gill) telephonic conversation with Bhinder that clearly establish how Bhinder was made to sign letters levelling baseless allegations," said Mittal. Justice Gupta���s name was, however, later dropped when the then CJ Vijender Jain had put his foot down.
Incidentally, speculation is rife that Bhinder is headed for Canada where many members of his family live.