CHANDIGARH: Punjab department of home affairs and justice has issued show-cause notices to former Mohali SSP and IPS officer Vivek Sheel Soni and two PPS officers Amandeep Singh Brar and Gursher Singh for the telecast of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s interview from Kharar CIA police station in Mohali in Sept 2022.
The officers in supervisory jurisdiction over Kharar CIA staff on the night of Sep 3-4, 2022, when the interview was allegedly conducted in the CIA police station, were the then Mohali SSP Vivek Sheel Soni, the then SP (investigation) Amandeep Brar.
Notices issued on Sep 19 to comply with HC order
Others were the then DSP (detective) Gursher Singh Sandhu, and inspector Shiv Kumar, the then incharge of CIA Kharar. With regard to the CIA incharge, the DIG (Jalandhar range) has issued show-cause notice to inspector Shiv Kumar. These show-cause notices were issued on Sep 19.
The HC had earlier been informed that Bishnoi’s first interview on the intervening night of Sep 3 and 4, 2022, was on the premises of CIA, Kharar, and his second interview was conducted in Rajasthan.
Information in this regard was placed before the Punjab and Haryana high court by the Punjab govt through Sarbjit Singh, assistant inspector-general of police (litigation), bureau of investigation, Punjab.
The action has been taken by the state in compliance with the HC order dated Sep 12 in which the court had directed the Punjab govt to take strict action against all those responsible for gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s interview at the premises of CIA staff, Kharar and had directed that such action should not be limited to lower rank officials only.
“The interview had been conducted at the premises of CIA staff, Kharar which falls in the jurisdiction of police district SAS Nagar, Mohali. We hope and trust that action would not be confined to the lower-level officials but extend to the higher officers who had supervisory jurisdiction over CIA Staff, Kharar, including the then SSP, who was the head of the district police when the interview was conducted,” the HC had ordered.
In its order, the division bench headed by Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal also recorded the statements of principal secretary, home affairs and justice and the Punjab DGP, who were present through video conferencing, stating that they are duty bound to take action against the delinquent officers.
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