SAD urges poll panel to act against Punjab IG

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday urged the Election Commission (EC) to take strict action against Punjab's Inspector General of Police Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh for "continuing as a member" of the SIT team probing police actions at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan, in violation of the orders of the poll panel.

A SAD delegation, led by MP Balwinder Singh Bhundur, told the poll panel that the IG had continued to work as a member of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) even after the state government submitted a compliance report regarding the order to the poll panel.

The delegation, which included party leaders Naresh Gujral, Daljit Cheema and Darbara Singh Guru, submitted a copy of the chargesheet signed by the IG on May 23 as a member of the SIT to the EC, saying this proved he had continued to function in the position even after he was asked to be "relieved from the post" on May 5.

An SAD statement said the action was taken after a complaint was filed by MP Naresh Gujral in which he had pointed out that the IG was making political statements even when the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was in place.

The poll panel, it said, had ordered that the IG could not function as a member of the SIT team till the withdrawal of the MCC on May 26.

The party leaders demanded disciplinary action against all those who were responsible for not implementing the order of the poll panel.

The poll panel's order of May 5, removing the IG as an SIT member had been communicated to the Punjab Chief Secretary for compliance, they said.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh wrote to the poll panel on May 10 that its order had been complied with and the IG had been removed as a member of the SIT team. But the poll panel's order had actually not been complied with, the delegation said.

They said the Chief Minister had sought review of the order, saying it would cause interference in the ongoing investigation but this contention had not been accepted by the EC.

The delegation also accused the Chief Minister of "misleading" the EC by stating in his election rallies that the IG would be brought back to the SIT immediately after the MCC was withdrawn.

--IANS

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