Drug taint: Inspector, two SIs fired after MLA's claims

PATIALA/RAJPURA: Following allegations by incumbent Congress MLA Hardial Kamboj against CIA staffers of being hand in glove with drug peddlers, Patiala SSP Mandeep Singh Sidhu on Monday dismissed three police officials including incharge of the Rajpura CIA and two sub-inspectors from service after a case was registered against them. One of the cops has been arrested, while the other two are at large.
Kamboj, MLA from Rajpura and Congress chief whip in the state assembly, had raised the issue at district grievances redressal committee meeting chaired by cabinet minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot a week ago. In the same meeting, other party MLAs had also raised questions on the functioning of district police, leading to different punitive actions.
On Monday, SSP Mandeep Singh Sidhu said the action has been taken against CIA Rajpura incharge inspector Gurjit Singh, along with sub-inspectors Sahib Singh and Gurdeep Singh. A report in the matter was filed by SP (investigations) Harmeet Singh Hundal and DSP (headquarters) Rajpura Akashdeep Singh Aulakh.
In the case, 3,300 tablets of an opioid pain killer had been illegally bought by the owner of a medical store. Yet, SHO Gurjit and the other staff did not conduct any investigation and let the man go. Not even an FIR was filed in the case. A case under the NDPS Act and the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the three cops. SI Sahib has already been arrested and teams are out to arrest the other two.