CHANDIGARH: Punjab and Haryana High Court today stayed the investigation against Punjab DGP (Human Resource Development) Sidhharth Chattopadhyaya in the Inderpreet Chadha suicide case. The latest developments indicate that the infighting between the top brass of the Punjab Police has reached in the public domain now.
Chattopadhyaya had moved an application in the high court yesterday that he was being targeted by senior officers of Punjab Police for investigating the role of Senior Superintendent of Police of Moga Raj Jit Singh in drug racket. In his application he has named the two top cops of Punjab Police, Punjab DGP Suresh Arora and DGP (Intelligence) Dinkar Gupta and levelled serious allegations against both referring the probe of drug case by the SIT headed by himself.
Chattopadhyaya stated that during his investigation the role of DGP Arora and Gupta has come to light. “Several significant facts including reportedly the benami house of a DGP, are being investigated to confirm their involvement in the case,” he stated.
Earlier the High Court had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under Chattopadhyaya to look into allegations of Moga SSP Raj Jit Singh’s role in the racket.
Subsequently Chattopadhyaya was allegedly named in the suicide notes of Inderpreet Chadha suicide case which is being investigated by another (Special Investigation Team) headed by IGP LK Yadav formed by Punjab Director General of Police Suresh Arora. He further stated that ever since he has started the investigation of the drug racket an attempt was being made to frame him in Chadha’s suicide in order to pressurise him. He said he had received two questionnaires from the officer investigating the suicide, which senior advocate Anupam Gupta who was represented Chattopadhya said in the court that they were highly objectionable and indicated the clear bias of the SIT.
Gupta told the court that the accused in the suicide case were being tortured and pressurised to name Chattopadhyaya in the suicide case out of personal gains. Gupta further said Chattopadhyaya’s name was being dragged in the suicide case by on behest of senior officers to spoil his career and requested that the inquiry be marked to CBI since they didn’t trust Punjab Police anymore. Even though he had absolutely nothing to do with the suicide case. Gupta alleged that the DGP is directing the investigations.
Inderpreet Singh Chadha was son of the then Chief Khalsa Diwan Chief Charanjit Chadha. He had shot himself on January 3, this year.
The division bench headed by Justice Suryakant subsequently stayed the investigation against Chattopadhyaya in the suicide case, and asked Punjab Police to report the details of its probe in the matter to the court on April 23.