Embarrassed Amarinder orders removal of police officer within days

Embarrassed by criticism over appointment of a controversial police officer to replace the controversial district police chief of Moga, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday ordered the removal of the recently-appointed SSP Kamaljit Singh Dhillon.

Dhillon's removal came "after receiving the report he (Amarinder Singh) had sought earlier this week into some pending inquiries against him", a state government spokesman said here on Saturday.

Dhillon, who was appointed as Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Moga on Monday, has been shifted as Assistant Inspector General of Police, Crime. Posted in Moga only for five days, he was appointed in place of earlier Moga SSP Raj Jit Singh who was removed after the Amarinder government came under pressure from various quarters over his links to the drugs racket and other controversies of disproportionate assets.

"The Chief Minister has taken the decision on his removal as inquiries, warranting disciplinary action against him, had been found to be pending. The Chief Minister has asked DGP Suresh Arora and the Home Department to immediately take action on the said inquiries," the spokesman said.

The Punjab government has now posted G.S. Toor as the new Moga SSP. An IPS officer of the 2004 batch, he is currently AIG Counter Intelligence, Ludhiana.

The Amarinder government is being criticized by the opposition for not fulfilling its promise to eradicate drugs from the state.

--IANS

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