Cops seen at party with ‘gangster’: Minister sparks row, says ‘if invited, I too would have attended the bash’

The minister made this statement at a press conference held on Sunday with Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Parminder Singh Bhandal sitting beside him.

Bhandal was also caught in controversy since the party after old pictures of the DCP with Bori and Darshan surfaced on social media and serious allegations levelled on his office by AAP Amritsar North MLA Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh.

The Punjab Police had then transferred six officers, including two deputy superintendents of police (DSPs), after the video from the party of police officials singing songs with Bori went viral on social media. Later Bori was also arrested in a fresh case.

“An important issue of Amritsar had come to the notice that it was the birthday party of our respected Kumar Darshan. Lawyers, officers of police department and people of various social organisations had gone to the party to wish him. An issue was created in the party which was brought to my attention that the party was named as the gangsters’ party. The Valmiki community is our own community. I have talked to CM Bhagwant Mann and he has categorically told me that they respect the community from his heart and they are committed to solving the problem of the community. The name which has been given to our Valmiki community is wrong and it was not any government statement. We respect the community from our heart,” the minister said.

On a question about the transfers of police officials, the minister said, “Transfers are part of jobs. I have talked to the CM in this regard. We will soon unveil the truth by getting an inquiry conducted. There is no need to be worried in this regard.”

On if the government could revoke the transfers, the minister said, “Definitely, I have talked to the Amritsar police commissioner, the Punjab DGP and CM Mann in this regard. They are very positive.”

On strong words used by AAP MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh against the office of DCP after the party, the minister said, “I am saying it clearly that Valmiki community is not a gangsters’ community.”

Himself a former IPS, Kunwar Vijay Partap, in a statement after the controversy over the party, had said, “The office of the DCP has turned into a din of criminals.”

Darshan is closely associated with Bori. Earlier this year, he had organised a press conference with Bori to invite people to the ‘Baba Nat Peer Da Mela’ event in June. Bori had announced at the press conference that he would bear the expenses for the event.

DCP Bhandal had reportedly said he attended the religious event on June 15 as part of his official duty and was unaware that Bori funded it.

After the party, AAP Attari MLA Jaswinder Singh Ramdas had said that there were many more officers at the birthday party, which led to the transfer of a few.

MLA Ramdas had said, “Kamal Bori is no saint. He has always been aligned with the police. He controls everything. In the times to come, everything will be exposed. Some people say they were needed. They are saying this in their defence. They should think before saying all these. If someone says tomorrow that they needed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, will they take his side?”

Soon after the controversy over Darshan’s party, the police transferred two DSPs — Sanjeev Kumar and Pravesh Chopra — and four station house officers — Dharmendra Kalyan, Gurvinder Singh, Neeraj Kumar, and Gagandeep Singh.