Punjab Agri Director arrested in spurious pesticide case

Punjab Agriculture Director Mangal Singh Sandhu was arrested for his alleged involvement in the supply of "spurious" pesticides to cotton growers whose crops have been damaged by the pest attack.
A police team from Bathinda arrested Sandhu late last night from his residence in Chandigarh, a senior police official said today.
"He (Sandhu) will be presented in local court today in Bathinda," Bathinda SSP Indermohan Singh Bhatti said.
Sandhu's name surfaced during police investigation which claimed that he allegedly took money for the supply of "spurious" pesticides from the suppliers.
On September 2, Bathinda police had registered a case in connection with the supply of "spurious" pesticides and had nabbed a representative of pesticide supplier who had disclosed that Director Agriculture allegedly accepted graft money for the supply of spurious pesticide.

Facing the ire of opposition Congress and farmers for the extensive damaged to cotton crop by whitefly attack, Punjab government had removed Sandhu from his post on September 17. However, Sandhu moved to Punjab and Haryana High Court which stayed his removal.

Punjab Congress had upped its ante against SAD-BJP led government over the supply of "spurious" pesticides which led to cotton damage.
The opposition party has been demanding the resignation of Agriculture Minister Tota Singh on this issue.
The issue of spurious pesticides had even rocked the Punjab Vidhan Sabha session last month when Congress had accused the state government of buying pesticides for cotton at a much higher rate than the prevailing market rate while alleging that there was a "big scam".

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had even assured the House that anyone found guilty of supplying "spurious" pesticides to the cotton cultivators in the state would not be spared at any cost.
The state government had already ordered a probe into the sale of "spurious" pesticides by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising three Inspector Generals of Police under the direct supervision of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Crime.