SC panel seeks police report into Warring’s ‘casteist audio clip’

Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission chairperson Jasvir Singh Garhi has sought a report from the Muktsar senior superintendent of police in the matter by May 29

Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission chairperson Jasvir Singh Garhi has taken suo motu notice of an audio clip allegedly carrying anti-Dalit remarks by state Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.

Warring has called the audio clip fake and written to the Punjab director general of police and the State Election Commission, seeking an FIR in the matter. (HT File)

Garhi said cabinet minister Dr Baljit Kaur brought to the notice of the commission that Warring made objectionable remarks referring to the members of the Scheduled Caste committee during an election campaign.

Garhi has sought a report from the Muktsar senior superintendent of police in the matter by May 29, and also directed police to get a forensic examination of Warring’s voice samples and submit a report.

Warring has called the audio clip fake and written to the Punjab director general of police and the State Election Commission, seeking an FIR in the matter.

In separate complaints to both, Warring said the fake audio clip had been circulated seven years ago as well to tarnish his image, and it had emerged again now at a time when local body elections were underway.

He expressed shock that the SC commission chairperson had taken suo motu notice of the clip, without verifying its authenticity. “This only proves that there is a definite design behind circulating this clip during the elections,” he said. “Today or tomorrow, eventually we will identify and find out the culprits behind this malicious campaign against me and deal with them strictly according to law,” Waring said.