Court asks Delhi Police to ensure MS Sirsa, accused of fund misappropriation, does not flee

A Delhi Court has asked the Delhi Police to ensure that Akali leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa does not flee from the country amid the ongoing investigation into the fund misappropriation allegations during his tenure as the Secretary-General of the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC).

The Court's direction came on Friday while hearing an application of the complainant Bhupinder Singh (office-bearer in the Shiromani Akali Dal, Delhi) after it was informed that there is apprehension that Sirsa is a flight risk.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Dr Pankaj Sharma, while passing direction said, "In view of the apprehension expressed on behalf of the complainant and for the interest of a proper investigation, Investigation Officer are to ensure that accused person does not flee from the course of justice."

The Court also sought a further progress report from Delhi Police and fixed the matter for July 26 for the next date of hearing.

Advocate Sanjay Abott, counsel for the complainant, submitted that accused MS Sirsa has already sold his properties and is in the process of fleeing as soon as flights resume. It was also submitted that the investigation agency has not taken appropriate steps to prevent him from doing so.

Meanwhile, the Court noted that the submission of the Delhi Police that the LOC (Lookout circular) of the accused person has not been opened as they are joining investigation as and when asked.

The Delhi Police's Economic Offence Wing, which is investigating the matter, said in the report that allegations of unjustified payments from Golak Funds to M/s Raja Tent and Decorators and other companies are being probed, along with other misappropriation through bogus bills.

A Delhi court had in November last year directed the EOW (Economic Offences Wing) to register an FIR against Sirsa on the basis of a complaint filed by Bhupinder Singh against Sirsa, who at the time of the incident in 2013 was the general secretary of DSGMC, had "caused a wrongful loss of public funds to the tune huge funds."

Following the direction by a city court, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police had registered an FIR against the current DSGMC president Manjinder Sirsa on a complaint accusing him of causing wrongful loss to the committee.

( With inputs from ANI )