No probe against DGP Arora, DGP (Intelligence) Gupta: Pb CM to AAP delegation

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today ruled out conducting an inquiry against the Director General of Police and the DGP (Intelligence) over allegations of shielding former Moga SSP Raj Jit Singh whose role in a drug trafficking case was being probed by an SIT.

According to an official spokesperson, the chief minster told an AAP delegation, which demanded a probe into the allegations against DGP Suresh Arora and DGP (Intelligence) Dinkar Gupta, that he has full faith in those officers.

The delegation included AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann, the party's Punjab unit co-president Balbir Singh and other party legislators.

The AAP leaders had accused Arora and Gupta of shielding Raj Jit Singh, whose role in a drug trafficking case was being probed by the SIT. Raj Jit Singh was yesterday transferred from the post of Moga SSP and was posted as Commandant fourth Battalion in Mohali.

Sharing the opposition party's concern over the drug problem in the state, the chief minister said three big drug dealers who had fled India have been identified, and the police and other agencies were in pursuit.

Assuring the AAP delegation that no laxity would be tolerated in curbing the drugs menace, Amarinder Singh said strict action would be taken against anyone found involved in the drug trade.

The chief minister briefed the AAP leaders about the working group formed by the Cabinet to monitor the action taken against drugs trade and also informed them about his decision to personally review the progress every Monday.

Two CISF companies have been deployed in jails for frisking and security duties to check smuggling of drugs and weapons into the penitentiaries, he said.

On the Cabinet's resolution on death sentence for drug peddlers and smugglers, Amarinder Singh told the AAP delegation that his government wanted death penalty in the first instance of the offence, as against the current provision of death sentence for repeated offence.

The 12-member delegation demanded a court-monitored CBI inquiry and action on the STF report, to which the chief minister pointed out that the matter was before the court, which was already monitoring the action.

"In any case, several central agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate, had been involved in the investigations," Amarinder Singh said, adding that he has sought a report on the allegations of involvement in drugs against new Moga SSP Kamaljit Singh.

The Chief Minister welcomed the AAP's assurance of full cooperation to his government in fighting the drug menace and said that whistle-blowers would be given protection and a helpline for inviting information and feedback would be started soon.

The AAP leaders, who demanded a special Assembly session to discuss the issue, expressed concern over the easy availability of drugs in certain areas, as well as reports of sharing of drug money with police.

According to the spokesperson, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira describe drug menace a "social challenge", which started a decade ago due to large-scale unemployment and agrarian crisis, the Amarinder Singh government was not solely to blame for the situation.

"No chief minister would ever want drugs becoming an issue during his rule," he said, while welcoming the dismissal of two police personnel accused of dragging women into drug abuse and peddling.

Khaira expressed concern over the fact that not only were women being pulled into drug abuse but they were also being turned into couriers.

On the issue of drug-related deaths, Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann said the addicts could go to any extent to curb withdrawal symptoms.

He was of the view that the panches, sarpanches and municipal councillors should be motivated to identify the drug addicts and those supplying drugs to youth.

The delegation submitted a memorandum to the chief minister, demanding a high court-monitored CBI probe into the recent drug-related deaths and to break the alleged nexus between police and drug smugglers.