E-Paper
EC orders removal of SHO who booked Congress candidate
The development came on a day when the SHO, who had registered a case of illegal mining against Congress candidate Hardev Singh Ladi Sherowalia, was arrested by the Jalandhar police.
Following complaints of bias and dereliction of duty, the Election Commission of India on Friday finally ordered removal of Parminder Singh Bajwa as station house officer (SHO) of Mehatpur in Punjab’s Shahkot segment where a bypoll is scheduled on May 28.
The development comes on a day when the SHO, who had registered a case of illegal mining against Congress candidate Hardev Singh Ladi Sherowalia, was arrested by the Jalandhar police for allegedly assaulting and obstructing an on-duty government official and carrying a weapon to the local court where he had gone to seek security.
Now his suspension from the service seems imminent, said a top police officer. Inspector Hardip Singh, SHO of Malaud police station in Khanna police district, will replace Bajwa, said Punjab chief electoral officer (CEO) Dr Karna S Raju.
The orders regarding transfer of Bajwa and posting of new officer has been sent to the chief secretary and the DGP for compliance with immediate effect, added Raju.
The CEO had on Thursday prepared a report based on over all complaints against Bajwa and sent it to the EC.
“The SHO has been transferred for not adhering to the code of conduct meant for officials posted on poll duty,” said a senior functionary at the Punjab CEO office.
Bajwa made headlines after he registered the FIR against Ladi for illegal mining on May 4 within hours of the Congress’ naming Ladi as its nominee. The case was registered at 4.26 am, raising suspicion about the urgency of the action.
Since then, he was apparently embarrassing the government by giving statements to the media on different issues.
Later, video footage of Bajwa allegedly moving around with a woman in a five-star hotel in Jalandhar emerged. His call records, as per the government, revealed that he spoke to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders. The Congress government had urged the EC to transfer Bajwa “in the interest of free and fair bypoll”.
