Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday handed over the murder probe of drugs authority officer Neha Shoree to the director, Bureau of Investigation.

An official spokesperson said the probe has been handed over to the Bureau of Investigation director Prabodh Kumar, following request from Neha’s family members. Her family met the CM at his official residence to request for shifting the investigation out of Mohali district.

Neha, the zonal licensing authority, food and drugs administration, Punjab, was shot dead in her office at Kharar on March 29 by Balwinder Singh, 49, whose drugs licence had been cancelled by her in 2009 following a raid on his chemist shop in which illegally kept intoxicants were found. After firing a shot at Neha, Balwinder shot himself too with his .32-bore pistol.

Neha was a daughter of Captain Kailash K Shoree, a 1971 war veteran who retired from the army in 1980.

The official spokesperson said the CM also asked the chief secretary to inquire into the lapses in the issuance of arms licence to the accused by the Rupnagar police and the district magistrate. The chief secretary will also inquire into the subsequent sale of weapon to the accused by a Rupnagar-based arms dealer.

The CM said nobody would be allowed to interfere or intimidate any public servant in the discharge of their duties and assured Neha’s family of justice.

During the meeting, the family members expressed apprehension that there was a well-planned conspiracy which led to the killing of Neha and requested for an in-depth investigation into the matter. They also raised questions on the alleged suicide by the accused and raised suspicion of his elimination too, in order to cover-up a larger conspiracy.

First Published: Apr 09, 2019 22:09 IST