Patiala SSP orders probe into functioning of Rajpura CIA unit

PATIALA: A day after Congress MLAS from Patiala levelled charges of corruption against some police officers, the district police on Wednesday initiated inquiry into the functioning of Rajpura CIA unit.

On Tuesday, four congress MLAS — Hardial Singh Kamboj, Madan Lal Jalalpur, Rajinder Singh and Nirmal Singh — had raised serious questions over the working of police during a meeting of the district grievances committee chaired by cabinet minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot.

Patiala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Mandeep Singh Sidhu ordered inquiry into the allegations made by Kamboj that Rajpura crime investigation agency (CIA) unit was hand-inglove with drug peddlers and letting them off without any action.

The SSP set up a two-member panel to probe the matter.

“SP Harmeet Singh Hundal has been directed to inquire into the matter while Rajpura DSP Akashdeep Singh Aulakh will assist him. They have been asked to submit the report at the earliest,” SSP Sidhu said.

Kamboj had stated that CIA Rajpura apprehended a drug peddler with a large number of banned tramadol tablets recently, but no action was taken.

“The peddler was released after a brief investigation without registration of any case,” the MLA had stated.

The SSP added that stringent action would be taken if anyone is found guilty as the government has given clear instructions not to spare drug peddlers at any cost.

SAMANA CIA STAFF INSPECTOR SHIFTED

Besides, CIA staff inspector Vijay Kumar, posted at Samana, was transferred on Wednesday. Samana MLA Rajinder Singh had accused the inspector of recording his phone conversations with him (Kumar).

Vijay Kumar has been shifted to CIA staff Nabha, while Nabha in-charge Gurmeet Singh has been transferred to Samana.

However, the SSP claimed that these transfers are part of routine reshuffle.

PHONE TAPPING: SAD SAYS GOVT COMMITTED BREACH OF PRIVILEGE

The Shiromani Akali Dal on Wednesday said the state government had committed breach of privilege against its own MLAS by tapping their phones and asked Vidhan Sabha speaker Rana KP Singh to initiate action against officials responsible in this regard.

SAD Spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said it was shocking that Congress MLAS had accused their own government of tapping their phones during a meeting of the district grievances redressal committee at Patiala on Tuesday.

He said Congress MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur had even asked cabinet minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot whether the tapping was being done at the behest of the state government but the minister had refused to clarify.

MLA KAMBOJ HAD ALLEGED THAT THE UNIT WAS HAND-IN-GLOVE WITH DRUG PEDDLERS