Accused ‘set stage’ for ACP murder

Officials said that the usually alert Singh — he was behind 42 encounter deaths — was sitting across the table in Bhardwaj’s cramped office and appeared to have been caught off guard when the first shot was fired.

The post-mortem report suggests that Singh was shot in the side of his head. Gurgaon officials said that the first shot appeared to have missed Singh who got up instantly. This was when Bhardwaj allegedly fired two more rounds. Hit in the head, Singh fell back and died almost immediately, the officials said.

Delhi Police sources said that when Singh’s PSO (personal security officer) Neelu Ram called on his cellphone around 10.30 pm to know if “Sahabji” (Singh) was free, Bhardwaj apparently told him that Singh was busy on the other phone and would speak to him later.

Bhardwaj later called TV reporters before turning himself in. Sources said he made the call to the media because he was afraid he would be killed by police.

Police officials said that Singh reached Bhardwaj’s office at 8.15 pm in his official Qualis along with his PSO, ASI Jawahar Singh and driver-head constable Linu Ram.

“Bhardwaj’s help Krishna told Singh that he was not in. Singh then called Bhardwaj on his cellphone who came back. The two sat and drank and chatted,” a police official said.

Gurgaon Police Commissioner Mohinder Lal said that Bhardwaj sent the policemen accompanying Singh to a nearby petrol pump. A little later, Bhardwaj also sent Krishna out, asking him to get candles because of power failure in the area. This was when the murder was committed.

Bhardwaj got into his car and drove to Signature Towers and then surrendered. Before he was placed under arrest, he told reporters that he took the step because Singh had been threatening to kill him.

“For the last six months, Singh Bhaisahab (this is how he referred to Singh) was putting pressure on me to pay his dues. I was not able to collect the money. Bhaisahab told me that he would kill me. So I killed him… because I was afraid,” Bhardwaj said.

Preliminary investigations suggest that two years ago Singh had given Bhardwaj approximately Rs 50 lakh to “invest”.

“He (Bhardwaj) told us that business was bad and he wasn’t able to double Singh’s money as promised. He claims he had even attempted suicide in between. A suicide note he had prepared was discovered at home and they stopped him,” a senior police official said.

Bhardwaj had apparently promised Singh he would return him the money on Monday and this was the the reason why Singh landed at his office. Bhardwaj told police they had a heated argument.

The stretch where Bhardwaj’s office — Vijay and Associates — is located wore a deserted look today. Barring a chemist’s, all other shops had downed shutters. “I don’t know anything about the shootout. If you wish, I will also shut shop like the others,” said the man at the chemist’s.