Punjab government trashes snooping charges against top cop
Neha Sharma | TNN | Updated: Apr 6, 2019, 10:19 IST
Siddharth Chattopadhyay and DGP Dinkar GuptaCHANDIGARH: The Punjab government has trashed allegations of ‘illegal surveillance’ levelled by director general of police (DGP) Siddharth Chattopadhyay against state police chief DGP Dinkar Gupta before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).
DGP Chattopadhyay had alleged that DGP Gupta, while on deputation to the IB, had carried out “illegal surveillance by using microphone illegally in March 2012 when he was on deputation with IB and was unceremoniously removed and repatriated”.
The state government has termed these allegations as false and misleading in its reply before the CAT on Friday. The government mentioned that Gupta was repatriated to the state government on its request and not on basis of any allegations against him.
The government justified its stand and prayed the petition to be dismissed. Chattopadhyay, along with DGP Mohammad Mustafa, have challenged the UPSC decision to appoint DGP Gupta as the Punjab Police chief. The matter would come up for hearing on May 17.
During the resumed hearing on Friday, the Union home ministry and the Punjab government filed reply before the tribunal. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), former Punjab Police chief Suresh Arora, and DGP Gupta have sought more time to file the reply.
Chattopadhyay had alleged in petition that office of Union defence minsiter A K Antony was bugged illegally in 2012 and Gupta, who was on deputation with IB at that point of time, was unceremoniously removed and sent back to Punjab. He had claimed that the “Master File pertaining to this incident is purportedly in the exclusive possession of chief secretary of Punjab” and the tribunal should summon and retain it. He had also claimed that these facts were not put up before UPSC. To all these allegations, the Punjab government responded that it was misleading and false.
The government stated that it had followed the Supreme Court directions and guidelines of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for appointment of police chief. The government stated that Gupta was the senior most officers among three officers empanelled by the UPSC.
The Union home ministry stated that Chattopadhyay and Gupta have challenged the action of the Punjab government and no action of the Centre had been challenged.
This not the first time DGP Chattopadhyay has attacked DGP Gupta. Last year, 1986-batch IPS officer had created sensation in the the Punjab and Haryana high court by stating that he was also probing the role of then police chief Suresh Arora and then DGP (intelligence) Dinkar Gupta in a drug case involving SSP Rajjit Singh.
DGP Chattopadhyay had alleged that DGP Gupta, while on deputation to the IB, had carried out “illegal surveillance by using microphone illegally in March 2012 when he was on deputation with IB and was unceremoniously removed and repatriated”.
The state government has termed these allegations as false and misleading in its reply before the CAT on Friday. The government mentioned that Gupta was repatriated to the state government on its request and not on basis of any allegations against him.
The government justified its stand and prayed the petition to be dismissed. Chattopadhyay, along with DGP Mohammad Mustafa, have challenged the UPSC decision to appoint DGP Gupta as the Punjab Police chief. The matter would come up for hearing on May 17.
During the resumed hearing on Friday, the Union home ministry and the Punjab government filed reply before the tribunal. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), former Punjab Police chief Suresh Arora, and DGP Gupta have sought more time to file the reply.
Chattopadhyay had alleged in petition that office of Union defence minsiter A K Antony was bugged illegally in 2012 and Gupta, who was on deputation with IB at that point of time, was unceremoniously removed and sent back to Punjab. He had claimed that the “Master File pertaining to this incident is purportedly in the exclusive possession of chief secretary of Punjab” and the tribunal should summon and retain it. He had also claimed that these facts were not put up before UPSC. To all these allegations, the Punjab government responded that it was misleading and false.
The government stated that it had followed the Supreme Court directions and guidelines of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for appointment of police chief. The government stated that Gupta was the senior most officers among three officers empanelled by the UPSC.
The Union home ministry stated that Chattopadhyay and Gupta have challenged the action of the Punjab government and no action of the Centre had been challenged.
This not the first time DGP Chattopadhyay has attacked DGP Gupta. Last year, 1986-batch IPS officer had created sensation in the the Punjab and Haryana high court by stating that he was also probing the role of then police chief Suresh Arora and then DGP (intelligence) Dinkar Gupta in a drug case involving SSP Rajjit Singh.
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