Punjab Police IG Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh has been relieved from his present posting as IG Intelligence (Organised Crime Control Unit), and also as the member of Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the sacrilege and related police firing cases, on the directions of the Election Commission of India.
Complying with the orders, the Punjab Government on Monday issued the transfer orders posting Kunwar Vijay as IGP Counter-Intelligence at Amritsar against a vacant post.
The directions came following a complaint by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) against Kunwar Vijay on March 22 alleging him of giving a “politically-motivated” interview on a TV channel on March 18 and 19.
Acting on the same, the poll panel directed Punjab Chief Secretary to “immediately” relive Kunwar Vijay from his present posting, while making it clear that he should not be given any post related to conduct of elections.
The Commission has also directed that action may be initiated against him for the “lapses or violations”.
In addition, “the Commission has decided that the member of SIT may be directed not to air any such contents in future during the period of Model Code of Conduct which will affect the fairness of the conduct of electoral process”.
The Commission, in its order dated April 5, stated that after examining the complaint filed by SAD’s Rajya Sbaha MP Naresh Gujral, “it was found that the officer have politically motivated interview to a TV Channel on 18 and 19 March about ongoing investigation by SIT and made certain political comments”.
“It has also been observed that the contents of the part of the interview has political connotations and has the potential to show certain political leaders in poor light. The officer also mentioned the name of leaders of SAD which is clearly in violation of the provision of Model Code of Conduct,” stated the Commission.
The Commission had asked the Chief Secretary to make compliance of the directions of relieving Kunwar Vijay by 5 pm on Monday.
Notably, the Congress has recently submitted a representation to Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S Karuna Raju accusing the SAD of “using” the Election Commission to “sabotage” the ongoing probe by the SIT into the sacrilege and police firing incidents by filing “frivolous” complaints against the officer.