New Bathinda SSP to work with DSP he indicted in probe last yr
BATHINDA: THE recent transfers in the police department have created a peculiar situation in Bathinda as the newly appointed senior superintendent of police (SSP) will have to work with a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) he had indicted in an inquiry for releasing an accused in a drug case.
The new SSP, Nanak Singh, when he was posted in Faridkot, had last year indicted Gurjit Singh Romana, shifted as DSP (city) on Saturday, for cancelling a first information report (FIR) lodged against a man for having an illegal stock of 1,500 habitforming tablets. Gupta, who was held on April 10, 2017, was released within 10 days of lodging the FIR at the Nehianwala police station after a court granted him bail.
In the cancellation report, Romana had cited a drug inspector’s statement claiming that the accused, Gobind Gupta, had the licence to sell and purchase such medicines. The cancellation report was endorsed by Bathinda SSP Navin Singla who was shifted on Wednesday.
Romana was also indicted in an inquiry conducted by DIG (Bathinda range) Ashish Chaudhary after which he was shifted to the 6th IRB, Ladda Kothi, in Sangrur in September last year. Romana’s reposting in Bathinda has raised eyebrows as there were reports of resentment among Congress cadre who feel that he harassed workers at the behest of previous SAD-BJP government during his stint here.
He was also accused of using strong-arm tactics against protesters. Neither Nanak Singh nor Romana have joined in Bathinda yet.
IGP (Bathinda range) MF Farooqui said: “The inquiry reports say it was a mistake on part of the DSP and do not say it was deliberate . The accused in drug act case was re-arrested and the case is in court.”