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Punjab government sets up probe panel against ex-DGP Siddharth Chattopadhyaya for providing security to PO in rape case
The former state police chief is already facing disciplinary proceedings in the 2022 PM security breach case
The Punjab government has set up a committee to initiate a probe against former director general of police (DGP) Siddharth Chattopadhyaya for allegedly providing security to a rape accused who was declared a proclaimed offender (PO) during his tenure as the state police chief between December 16, 2021, and January 8, 2022.
The move is likely to spell more trouble for the former DGP as he is already facing disciplinary proceedings for the January 2022 Prime Minister security breach.
According to people familiar with the matter, the inquiry committee will be headed by retired judge of the Delhi high court justice Shabihul Hasnain Shastri, who is also chairperson of the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (PIT NDPS) cases.
The Punjab home department has already issued a notification in this regard and now the inquiry officer will initiate the probe under Section 8 of the All India Services (discipline and appeal) Rules, 1969, read with All India Services (DCRB) Rules, 1958, rule 6(1) and its sub-rule (b) (2), people familiar with the matter said.
As per rules, an inquiry officer has to be appointed before initiating a disciplinary action against indicted officers. The indicted officials are given time to clear their stand before the inquiry officer on the basis of the chargesheet served to them, the rules say.
In May last year, Chattopadhyaya was served chargesheet by the home department for providing six gunmen to Ferozepur resident VP Singh, a proclaimed offender in rape case, and also facing FIRs for forgery, cheating, threatening and intimidation.
Following the chargesheet, the state government, a few days back, constituted a committee led by Punjab Human Rights Commission chairman justice (retd) Sant Parkash, who will initiate the probe under Section 8 of the All India Services (discipline and appeal) Rules, 1969, read with All India Services (DCRB) Rules, 1958, rule 6(1) and its sub-rule (b) (2).
The former Punjab top cop is already facing disciplinary proceedings in connection with a security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ferozepur in January 2022. The then Faridkot DIG Inderbir Singh and then Ferozepur SSP Harmabir Singh Hans are also facing action in the PM security breach case and are also being probed by the same inquiry committee.
The 1986-batch IPS officer, Chattopadhyaya, retired on March 31 last year and remained officiating DGP for less than a month between December 16, 2021, and January 8, 2022. The case in which he has been served chargesheet pertains to this short tenure.
