In a U-turn, Punjab Speaker asks DGP not to visit him to submit report on graft case involving ASI

Bohar, now posted at the Faridkot Sadar police station, was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 on August 20.

Written by Kanchan Vasdev

Chandigarh | September 4, 2024 08:29 AM IST

4 min read

The ASI stated in the DDR that Sandhwan’s brother abused him for allegedly troubling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers. Sandhwan’s brother had also “threatened me to get me posted at a place where I would not get a drop of water, the ASI stated in the DDR, the ASI alleged.

A day after summoning state DGP Gaurav Yadav with the report on an alleged graft case involving suspended Faridkot ASI Bohar Singh, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan Tuesday said that he had told the DGP not to come.

Speaking with The Indian Express, Sandhwan said, “The DGP had called me in the morning. He wanted to come and hand over the report to me. However, I asked him not to come. I have now sought a report on all black sheep in all government departments such as police, transport, and health, among others. I told Home Secretary Gurkirat Kirpal Singh to submit the report in 3-4 days so that action could be taken against them.”

Sandhwan said he felt instead of seeking a report on only an ASI, he should ask for a report on all black sheep in all government departments. “If we are cleaning the mess, we should know who all are creating it and if they have been acted upon or not. I will see. We will decide on action to be taken against them.”

Sandhwan had Monday sought the support of the House to summon DGP Yadav in a case of alleged corruption involving ASI Bohar Singh, who had reportedly accepted a bribe — the bribe money was allegedly deposited into his bank account by a gangster in Kotkapura (city) when Bohar was posted there.

Bohar, now posted at the Faridkot Sadar police station, was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 on August 20. Faridkot SSP Pragya Jain had placed Bohar under suspension on August 24. Hours after Sandhwan, the sitting MLA from Kotkapura, summoned the ASI, Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira posted an audio clip purportedly of the Speaker’s brother Birinder Singh Sandhwan, who was allegedly abusing the ASI. The ASI had lodged a complaint that was entered in the DDR (Daily Diary Register) at the Faridkot Sadar police station on June 13.

Also Read | What is the case against a Punjab cop over which Speaker has summoned DGP?

All eyes were on the Speaker’s office in the morning as the DGP was expected to come personally with a report. The DGP did not come throughout the day. Speaker Sandhwan then said after the second day of the ongoing Monsoon session that DGP would not be coming as he had stopped him from doing so.

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On Monday, Sandhwan, who had asked for the advice of the house to summon the DGP had ignored Cabinet minister Aman Arora’s suggestion that “the crusade against corruption should not be in bits and pieces. A mechanism should be evolved in consultation with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to deal with such cases”.

When Sandhwan raised the issue in the House Monday, Mann had left the House. On Tuesday, though Mann refused to speak on the issue. On summoning the DGP, Mann said, “I am now a three-year-old Chief Minister. I will not get into answering this,” as he refused to speak.

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