HC asks SIT to submit report by May 9

Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Punjab Police Director General of Police (Human Resource Development) Siddharth Chattopadhyaya to submit by May 9, the report on the role of a SSP and an inspector in a drug trafficking case.

The division bench of Justices Surya Kant and Shekhar Dhawan also ordered that a stay on the police investigation against Chattopadhyaya in a suicide case would continue till further orders.

During the resumed hearing on an application filed by Chattopadhyaya, the amicus curiae in the case and senior advocate Anupam Gupta dubbed the Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s recent statement, asking the top brass of the police “to put an immediate end to fighting their personal and professional battles in the courts and the media” as a clear case of contempt of court.

The DGP (HRD) had sought the transfer of investigation into the suicide case of Inderpreet Chadha, son of former president of Chief Khalsa Dewan Charanjit Singh Chadha, to CBI or to a retired judge of the high court.

“The court has asked that the final report of the SIT headed by DGP Siddharth Chattopadhyaya be submitted on or before May 9,” Gupta said today.

Chattopadhyaya, who was present during the hearing today, is leading a special investigation team constituted by the high court to probe the role of SSP, Moga, Raj Jit Singh, and a dismissed police inspector in a drug trafficking case.

Chattopadhyaya had accused two senior officers DGP Suresh Arora and DGP (Intelligence) Dinkar Gupta of “targeting” him in order to “disable” him from conducting the inquiry to look into the complicity of SSP Moga Raj Jit Singh and an inspector in the drug trafficking case.

Gupta, during the resumed hearing today, took exception to the recent statement of the chief minister, warning “police top brass against going to courts or media to resolve their problems”.

Gupta said he relied on the press note issued by the chief minister’s office regarding Amarinder Singh’s meeting with senior police officers here recently.

“The CM’s statement is a clear contempt of court,” said Gupta while quoting the reported statement of the CM.

“No one can threaten any officer with dismissal for going to court. Chattopadhaya filed this application and you (court) heard us in support of the application and granted us the stay order…Though CM did not take name (in press note) but he obviously said it in context of Chattopadhaya,” said Gupta.

“Whether it is a police officer or a civil services officer, if any CM himself publicly threatens them with dismissal for going to court is clear contempt of court,” said Gupta.

Earlier, in a closed-door meeting with state police top brass on April 11, Amarinder Singh had ordered the officers to put an immediate end to fighting their personal and professional battles in the courts and the media, and threatened to sack any officer found indulging in such acts of “gross indiscipline, which were bringing a bad name to the Punjab Police”.

The chief minister had said, if needed, he would even approach the Union Home Minister to seek the dismissal of any officer found violating the discipline of the force.

He had said there were various channels and ways to deal with professional problems. Professional matters being taken to the court was unacceptable, Amarinder Singh had warned.