CID shifts ASI caught ‘prying’ on Hooda to P’kula

›

A CID official came at a family gettogether and even shot a video on his mobile, to which I objected as he should not have been there. BHUPINDER S HOODA , ex-Hry CM

KARNAL: Haryana’s intelligence agency CID has distanced itself from its official allegedly caught snooping on former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda during the latter’s private visit to Jind on Tuesday, claiming that he was not on official assignment.

The CID ASI, Vijender Kumar, has been shifted to Panchkula, though there is no official complaint against him yet.

Talking to Hindustan Times, inspector general of police (CID) Anil Rao said, “The official was not on any assignment, but his presence at the press conference needs to be investigated. We have already shifted him to Panchkula and started a probe.”

However, Hooda has blamed it on the BJP government by accusing it of sending its officials to private meetings of opposition party leaders.

On whether the CID deputes its sleuths to monitor the meetings and press conferences of leaders of opposition parties, Rao said, “The intelligence has its own working criteria to keep tabs on events taking place in the state and give details to the government.”

“But we don’t assign our officials to record any press conference, as alleged in this case,” he added. Jind CID in-charge Naresh Kumar also confirmed that the official was not sent on any assignment. “He had gone there in his personal capacity,” he said.

When contacted, Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, “It was an informal get-together at the house of one of my relatives with some mediapersons also being present there. But it was not an official press conference. However, a CID official came there and even shot a video on his mobile, to which I objected as he should not have been there.”

On why no complaint was filed against him, Hooda said, “I do not want to file any complaint against such a junior-level official, but have indeed raised this issue with his bosses.”

Vijender, meanwhile, could not be contacted as sources in Jind police said his official mobile phone was taken away from him when he was shifted.