After a month-long vacation, Punjab top cop Sumedh Singh Saini joined his duty as director general of police on Tuesday.
Saini was granted earned leave for the period from April 4 to May 20 — for the entire polling period. Director General of Police-cum-Chief Director Vigilance Bureau Suresh Arora was posted as the State DGP during this leave period.
“Suresh Arora has been transferred and posted as DGP-cum-Chief Director Vigilance Bureau, Punjab, Chandigarh, against the vacant post,” a spokesperson of State Government informed.
Saini proceeded on leave from April 4 apparently
pre-empting the Election Commission of India’s move to remove him from the post of top cop considering series of complaints against him by the Opposition Congress.
Accusing him of being chargesheeted by a CBI court in a 2006 case, the Congress party also apprehended that with Saini as the DGP, having proximity to Akalis, fair and free polls were not possible in the State.
Punjab Government had all along refused to remove Saini on the ground that two elections were held since his appointment as the DGP.
Available information suggested that Saini had filed his leave application after the Election Commission had ordered transfer of a number of officers, including ludhiana police commissioner, and three district police heads.
ECI, having its own means of getting feedback, had transferred several officers, both civil and police — the move apprehended by the State Government that the State DGP, Saini, could also be removed. To steer clear of such a situation, Saini was asked to proceed on leave.