Continuation of Chinna as Ferozepur IG raises eyebrows
CHANDIGARH:The Punjab government’s decision to continue with Mukhwinder Singh Chinna as Ferozepur inspector general (IG) is raising eyebrows.
The Justice Ranjit Singh (retd) Commission report into sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib has raised question marks over his role as IGP Bathinda in conducting a satisfactory inquiry into a point it wanted to probe further.
Chinna’s name also figures on the list of 14 top officials whose role the commission has questioned in Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura firing incidents in Faridkot district. Faridkot is under the Ferozepur IG’s jurisdiction who is monitoring the probe.
This inquiry pertained to alleged discrepancies in forensic examination of a jacket (shell) of a bullet recovered from the body of a Sikh protester, who was injured during police action in Kotkapura on October 14, 2015. The report says that when the jacket was sent for forensic examination, the Central Forensic Lab (CFSL), Chandigarh, said that the bullet grooves had been extensively tampered with.
“For two years, the bullet recovered from body of the Sikh protester (Beant Singh) remained with the Apollo Hospital in Ludhiana. No one bothered to collect the bullet and send it for examination. The bullet was finally procured from the hospital on February 25, 2017, and thereafter, it remained lying with the police till October 2017. It was sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Mohali, only when the Commission called up the Bajakhanastation house officer to ascertain the stage of investigation,” reads page 87 of the report.
The commission, thereafter, sent request letters to the CFSL, Chandigarh, and FSL, Mohali.
To this, the FSL Mohali stated. “.... It is to intimate that tampering of the rifle grooves of the bullet marked B/1 under reference would be due to deliberate act.”
CHINNA’S ROLE
After the SFL’s reply, the commission had ordered IG Bathinda Zone (the Commission has not addressed IG Bathinda by his name in the report) to probe the ‘tampering’ issue.
“This inquiry is found unsatisfactory. All this clarification ought to have been obtained after proper investigation. The approach by the police is too casual which is mind-boggling. No one should be allowed to escape for this culpable lapse which, apparently, was to able to save the police officer responsible for use of fire arms,” the report has stated..
I have done no wrong. The commission never summoned me during the its probe. I am yet to read the report.
MS CHINNA, Ferozeopur IG
COMMITTED NO WRONG: CHINNA
Chinna, when contacted, denied any wrongdoing. “I did my best to find out as who tampered with the records. When you investigate any case, sometimes you get success and sometimes you don’t. I have done no wrong. The commission never summoned me during the its probe. I am yet to read the report,” he added.