Punjab Police chief Sumedh Singh Saini was on Sunday shunted out of the position by the State Government. He was replaced by Suresh Arora as Director-General of Police, Punjab. The move has reportedly come at the intervention of the Union Home Minister, who had last week spoken to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal about the developments in Punjab in the wake of incidents of desecration of 'birs' of Guru Granth Sahib.
Nearly four years back when the SAD-led Punjab Government came to power, one of the first decisions it took was to appoint Saini as the Director General of Police (DGP).
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal’s first choice, the Government stood by him through thick and thin despite controversies that kept cropping up during his tenure, including handling Dinangar terrorist attack, Sikh prisoners issue, among others.
The sudden decision, that was reportedly taken on Saturday late night, took everyone by surprise and generated speculation on the reason behind shifting him to the Punjab Police Housing Corporation on the same position.
Saini was posted as chairman of Punjab Police Housing Corporation in a move seen to pacify frayed tempers and resentment brewing against the state police force after the recent firing in Faridkot district that left two Sikhs dead during a protest against the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib.
It has been learnt that the decision was taken at the intervention of the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who had last week spoken to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal about the developments in Punjab in the wake of incidents of desecration of 'birs' of Guru Granth Sahib.