Investigative functions of the Punjab police were separated from its job to maintain law and order on Wednesday with the formation of a Bureau of Investigation (BoI) in order to ensure that the cops concentrate better on law and order duties in the State. The State Government has set up a Bureau of Investigation (BoI) for this purpose with its headquarters at Chandigarh. The Bureau would conduct investigation into cases, including civil and criminal, registered at various police stations.

The Bureau would initially have 7,772 personnel in its rolls. The Government has created the post of Director of BoI as well. The investigation staff at Police Station level would comprise of Investigation Units, Pairvi Units and Women Staff and would work under In-Charge Investigation. “BoI will have all investigation staff in different units in the field under a unified command,” said Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal while launching a historic initiative by establishing a Bureau of Investigation to bring all investigation staff in different units under a unified command.

The new wing would be responsible for investigation right from the police station to the district and even the headquarters here, he said, adding that the same would ensure professionalism and conduct time-bound investigation. He also claimed that with this, Punjab became the first State in the country to separate investigation functions from law and order duties. “Separate staff has been earmarked for investigations at all three levels,” he said adding the new wing would ensure professional and time-bound investigations. He said this staff would not be diverted for any other purpose.

The State Director General of Police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini said that district and commissionerate level wings would comprise of CIA staff, EOW, Crime Against Women wing, Police Station, DCRB and district legal support unit. “It will be headed by Superintendent of Police or Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Investigation. Similarly, at the State Headquarters, the new wing would comprise of BoI headquarters (earlier Crime Wing), Zonal Offices, State Cyber Crime PS, State Crime Branch PS, EOW and SCRB,” he said.

He said that in the latest cadre review, the post of ADGP Crime had been proposed for abolition and new post of Director, Bureau of Investigation was being created. “Similarly, separate rooms had been earmarked for investigation staff at Police stations and an amount of Rs8 crore has been spent on renovation of Police Stations, purchase of Investigation Officers Kits and construction of ladies toilets. Vehicles and IO kits had also been made available to the investigation wing so that it could commence its work independently,” he said. The new wing would also be equipped with mobile forensic evidence collection units, regional FSls, modern cyber crime unit, modern interview rooms as well as modern Women police stations in all districts.