CHANDIGARH: The Congress government is dilly-dallying on taking action on police officers who had allegedly falsely booked Congress workers and activists during previous SAD-BJP regime.
Before the Assembly elections last year, the Congress leadership had said that once it comes to power in the state, it would act against all police officers who had “wrongly and falsely” booked Congress workers and supporters in the last year years of SAD-BJP rule. But after assuming power in March 2017, the Congress government is trying to push the issue under the carpet.
Sources said that the Justice Mehtab Singh (retd) Commission set up for looking into false cases registered during the past decade of the SAD-BJP government has given four reports to the government on the issue and has recommended action against more than four dozen police officers. The commission received 4,371 complaints, of which 497 have been probed. The commission found 275 complaints to be false and asked the government to take them back.
On Sunday, Suresh Kumar, Chief Principal Secretary to Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh, was briefed that in 275 cases, recommendations of the commission have been accepted and district committees have decided to take back these cases. In 195 cases, courts have been approached as the government wants to withdraw the cases. In other 80 cases, deputy commissioners are yet to send their reports, said sources.
No action has been taken against police officers on whom the commission recommended action for registering false cases and misusing their position. A report was sought from the Punjab DGP, which is yet to see light of day.
Police is not in favour of any action on its personnel. Even the Rs 25,000 ‘relief amount’ to be recovered from erring Investigating Officers is awaiting the CM’s approval.