Chandigarh: Sukhpal Singh Khaira MLA and President of Punjabi Ekta Party(PEP) today took strong exception to the extra-ordinary third extension of eight months granted to Punjab DGP Suresh Arora who has become handy tool of both the Modi and Capt. governments.
Addressing media in Jalandhar today Khaira said that Supreme Court of India has laid down guidelines for the appointment of DGP by states and allowing present incumbent to continue is unconstitutional, illegal and illegitimate and is bound to damage the reputation of Punjab Police besides lowering its morale. He said that DGP’s continuation would disturb the police hierarchy while many upright officers would never get an opportunity to serve at top. Of the 8 DGP scale officers, some will become ineligible and two of them Hardeep Singh Dhillon and Jasminder Singh would retire before term of Arora ends in September 2019.
Khaira said that Congress party has borrowed Suresh Arora from Shiromani Akali Dakl(SAD) since he was choice of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and remained mute spectator to all wrong doings of Badals including protection of guilty police officers responsible for Behbal killings. He said that it was astonishing that an officer who failed to curb drug menace and lawlessness during SAD-BJP regime was given the responsibility to run the police force once again by Congress government. He said that names of an ADGP Dinkar Gupta and former SSP of Moga Rajjit Singh had cropped up during investigation in the drug case of dismissed Police Inspector Inderjit Singh. Both of them were close to DGP Suresh Arora and further investigation in this case was blocked.
Khaira said that Hapreet Singh Sidhu ADGP who was initially made head of Special Task Force(STF) and DGP S.S.chatopadhya who tried to unmask the officers involved in shady deals were snubbed. Sidhu was put under DGP and Chatopadhya was sent to non cadre post in Punjab State Power Corporation Limited.
He said that the present controversy over nexus between police and drug mafia was result of political protection to drug syndicate and allegations in this regard made by MLA Kulbir Singh Zira are vindicated. It is evident from the allegations made by Zira that present DGP was always reluctant to take action against his favourite tainted officers. The presence of Suresh Arora has also resulted in strong groupism in the Punjab Police which is probing deterrent in smooth functioning of police, he added.
He said that Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor (NSA) was using both Capt Amarinder and DGP Suresh Arora for ‘political motives’ of BJP.
Khaira alleged that Arora was getting extensions at the behest of Ajit Doval and Capt Amarinder Singh has no will to oppose it. He said Capt Amarinder Singh was toeing the line of BJP government to save his son-in-law Gurpal Singh Director in Simbhaoli Sugar Mill in UP against whom Rs.200 crore fraud case is registered by CBI and Enforcement Directorate. A look out notice has been issued against Gurpal Singh. Even Raninder Singh son of capt Amarinder Singh is facing a case filed by Income Tax department in Ludhiana court.
Khaira said that it was ironical that Capt Amarinder Singh Government was incapacitated by BJP and forced to run the state machinery under same DGP who is top manager of flop-show’ of Parkash Singh Badal government.
We demand the immediate roll back of the third extension given to Suresh Arora DGP as it is a grossly erroneous decision which will have a devastating effect on the Punjab Police.