SAD chief demands FIR against Punjab DGP for 'taking orders from criminals as state police chief'

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday demanded the registration of a criminal case against Punjab DGP S Chattopadhyay for allegedly taking orders from criminals while functioning as the State Police chief.

The SAD president was referring to an expose in a leading daily during a brief campaign stop for the party's Mohali candidate Parminder Singh Sohana.

He alleged that a tape recording had surfaced which had the DGP talking to a proclaimed offender in the Bhola drug case.

"During the course of this conversation, the proclaimed offender instructed the DGP regarding transfer and posting of certain police officers, shifting of notorious prisoners from one jail to another and creating an illegal detention centre in Mohali," the SAD chief said.

Alleging that S Chattopadhyay's cordial relations with drug baron Jagdish Bhola were out in the public domain, Badal said "it is now also clear that this police officer was working in league with drug smugglers as well as tainted police officers. Due action should be taken against him as per law."

He said now it was also clear why Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had gone out of his way to appoint Chattopadhyay as the State DGP even though he was not eligible to hold this post.

"Channi is also mixed up in these illegal activities which were also proved by the huge recovery of cash and gold from his nephew's house. It is also clear that he was privy to Chattopadhyay's affairs and due action should also be taken against him," he added.

The SAD chief also questioned why Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) President Navjot Singh Sidhu was silent after the evidence against an officer who was personally chosen by him to register false cases against the top Akali leadership.

"Sidhu should explain why he allowed an officer who was earlier also known to pursue personal vendettas to lead the State police and why he kept quiet about the illegal activities of Chattopadhyay," Badal said.

The SAD President also demanded an impartial probe into the tape recordings which had come into the public sphere.

"This case has far-reaching consequences vis a vis the drug trade in the region. Besides the DGP and his political masters, there are a number of other black sheep who are involved in drug trafficking. They should also be identified, booked and put behind bars after a thorough probe," he added.

( With inputs from ANI )

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