HC notice to Punjab govt, minister Ashu on DSP Sekhon’s plea

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday put the Punjab government and one of its ministers, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, on notice on the plea of suspended deputy superintendent

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday put the Punjab government and one of its ministers, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, on notice on the plea of suspended deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Balwinder Singh Sekhon, who had claimed threat to his life.

HT Image

Sekhon, a former DSP, Ludhiana municipal corporation (MC), was shifted to Bahadurgarh in Patiala earlier this year and had alleged that he was facing threats from various people at the behest of Punjab food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu.

He has alleged that he was being targeted at the behest of Ashu, who nursed a grudge against him ever since he had probed into the CLU case wherein the minister’s role had came under scanner.

He was suspended on December 6 for allegedly sending abusive and derogatory messages to Ashu. He has also alleged that his security cover was withdrawn. The court was told that a complaint was sent to the director general of police (DGP) on February 13, 2019 against the minister.

It was sent again on December 4, 2019, citing various circumstances in the intervening period as how the DSP had been divested of various facilities and was being harassed, his counsel RS Bains had told the court.

He said all this resulted in the officer being suspended in December through an order which did not mention any reason.

The responss from all the respondents have been sought by January 29.