Punjab DGP stands by officers facing trial

CHANDIGARH, May 25: Punjab Director General of Police P C Dogra today said he was morally committed to give total support to the officers a...

CHANDIGARH, May 25: Punjab Director General of Police P C Dogra today said he was morally committed to give total support to the officers and men who acted in bonafide discharge of their duties in the operation against militants.

While condoling the death of former Tarn Taran SSP Ajit Singh Sandhu, he said in a statement he had set up a separate cell comprising senior officers to guide and advise police officers facing court trials and investigations by the CBI.

He regretted that though the police department had made all out efforts since 1993 at all levels — both political and administrative — to frame a legislation to protect all those officers who fought the nation’s battle against terrorism, nothing concrete had materialised.

He said the first writ petition against the Punjab police officers was filed in 1989 and so far, more than 2,500 writ petitions had been filed in various courts out of which about 1,300 had been disposed of. He said 88 writ petitions were transferred to the CBI for investigations and 91 referred to the session judges for inquiry.

Dogra said in 15 cases, challans had been put up in the courts for prosecution. He disclosed about 140 police officers, including six superintendents of police, were facing prosecution.