Sending across a clear-cut message to the Punjab Police top brass that indiscipline — in any form — would not be tolerated, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday practically threatened to sack any officer found indulging in acts of gross indiscipline bringing a bad name to the force.
The Chief Minister ordered the state police top brass to put an immediate end to fighting their “personal and professional” battles in the courts and the media.
“If needed, I would even approach the Union Home Minister to seek the dismissal of any officer found violating the discipline of the force,” said Capt Amarinder, who also holds the Home portfolio, during a closed-door meeting of all the top police officials.
Besides the state Director General of Police Suresh Arora, and Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh, the meeting was attended by all the DGPs, except Sumedh Singh Saini, and the 17 ADGPs of the Punjab Police.
The meeting assumes significance in the wake of serious allegations leveled by a DGP (Human Resource Development) Siddharth Chattopadhyaya, against DGP Arora — who is the chief of police force, and DGP (Intelligence) Dinkar Gupta by moving an application before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on April 6.
He had accused his two colleagues of “trying to drag him in a suicide case of the son of a former president of a century-old charitable-cum-educational body Chief Khalsa Dewan”.
Chattopadhyaya, who is leading a Special Investigation Team constituted by the High Court to investigate the role of SSP Moga and a dismissed police inspector in the case, had also accused the two DGP rank officers of “targeting” him in order to “disable” him from conducting inquiry to look into the complicity of SSP Moga Raj Jit Singh and a dismissed Inspector in a drug trafficking case.
Expressing shock at the recent developments involving senior officers of Punjab Police, Capt Amarinder sent out a stern warning to the officers that he would not tolerate such indiscipline. “Neither the media nor the courts are the proper forums to resolve differences, which needed to be resolved internally,” he asserted.
Without naming anyone, the Chief Minister expressed shock and concern at the way in which the proud legacy of Punjab Police was being destroyed by some officers saying that there were various channels and ways to deal with professional problems.
Professional matters being taken to the court were unacceptable, he warned, adding that “this has to stop, right now.
While all officers were welcome to approach him directly to resolve any personal problems, for professional issues there were well-established norms and channels which every officer had to stringently adhere to, said the Chief Minister.
“Any senior officer facing a professional issue should first approach the state DGP, followed by the Home Secretary and the Chief Secretary, and if he is still not satisfied, he can come to me,” said Capt Amarinder.
He made it clear that every officer in the force was required to accept the leadership of Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora, whom he described as a highly professional officer.
“The Union Minister wanted to take Arora to the Centre but I had requested for his retention in the state in view of his expertise and professionalism,” said Capt Amarinder.
The Chief Minister noted that he had never seen such things happening in the Punjab Police, which had brought the state out of many difficult phases, including terrorism, mass killings, targeted killings, religious fundamentalism, farmer unrest, etc.
Pointing out that as an ex-Army man, he had seen from close quarters how discipline is maintained in the forces, the Chief Minister said that he had been getting a hollow feeling over the past 48 hours, ever since the issue came to light.
Capt Amarinder called for serious introspection by the officers for the sake of the force, the state and the country. “There are many challenges that still need to be tackled and the police force of Punjab could not afford to slacken,” he said, declaring that his government’s thrust on maintaining law and order, ensuring peace and harmony, and the drugs mafia would continue undeterred, notwithstanding the issues that had marred the force’s image in the recent days.
Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh exhorted the officers not to indulge in any act which had the potential of lowering the morale down the rank and file, and damaging the reputation of Punjab Police, which had traditionally been identified with courage, grit and discipline.
DGP Arora said that the entire business was particularly awkward for him personally, but assured the officers that he will not let them down at any cost and would continue to work towards enhancing the professional standards of the force.