New Delhi, February 4, 2020 (Yes Punjab News)
Former PCC Chief and Rajya Sabha MP, Partap Singh Bajwa has hit at Punjab’s Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government once again and a bit hard.
Known for writing letters to the Chief Minister, Bajwa has this time gone a step ahead and written to Union Minister of Law & Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad explaining the situation and effects of police-politician-drug mafia nexus.
However, Bajwa, in his letter has also not spared the Union Government and observed that both the Union and the State government were not doing much on such a serious issue.
Bajwa has informed Prasad that the names of the officers, politicians and policemen involved in drug trade were lying in sealed covers but, “No effort has been made by either the Union Government of India or State of Punjab to address such a serious issue and get the reports opened and acted upon.”
In his two-page letter written to the Union Minister, Bajwa said the investigations on the drug mafia in Punjab were being handled in an inefficient manner.
He has requested Prasad to ensure that the Union Government take this up immediately and had the covers unsealed at the earliest so that proper investigations could occur, and the official/politicians involved in drug trafficking could be publicly named.
“The Government of India must take up all efforts to ensure that the drug menace is finally curtailed at the earliest,” he said.
Bajwa recalled that the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued a motion vs. the State of Punjab on 29th March, 2013, opening investigations into the growth of the drug menace affecting the State.
“These investigations have thrown light on the functioning of a police-politician-drug mafia nexus. The order of the High Court on 28th November, 2017 takes note of the investigations of the Special Task Force in its charge-sheet against a serving Inspector of the Punjab Police, who was alleged to be colluding with drug traffickers.
Moreover, the High Court was also informed that the Inspector had been arrested and the name of the then SSP Moga had figured in the case. The High Court asked the Special Task Force led by Sh. Harpreet Singh Sidhu to keep it appraised of the investigation,” he said.
To make Prasad understand the issue completely, Bajwa said, “The aforementioned SSP, Moga had filed an application CM 18041 of 2017 in CWP 20359 of 2013, seeking a transfer of the case from Sh. Harpreet Singh Sidhu due to bias.
The High Court constituted a Special Investigation Team of three IPS officers, namely: Siddharth Chattopadhyaya, Prabodh Kumar and Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh. The SIT was directed to file a status report in a sealed cover by 31st January, 2018.”
Explaining the issue further, Bajwa said, “Siddharth Chattopadhyaya, head of the SIT, filed a report on 31st January, 2018 as well as requested an extension of two months, which was granted. On 15th March, a second status report was filed by the SIT in a sealed cover, and a further extension of six weeks was requested.
The High Court granted this extension and opened the documents submitted to it. On 23rd May, 2018, Siddharth Chattopadhyaya submitted the final report of the SIT as well as a second independent report in sealed covers to the High Court in sealed covers. All these reports have been lying in sealed covers and no further action has been taken.”
Pointing towards a law enforcement-drug trafficking nexus, Bajwa said the drug problem in Punjab has irrevocably harmed the life of many youths, and often the perpetrators are not brought to justice, due to this nexus.
“The efforts of the SIT and the STF are lying sealed in covers with the High Court, while those selling drugs have their identities protected and free to continue their trade. No action has been taken on any of these reports.
No effort has been made by either the Union Government of India or State of Punjab to address such a serious issue and get the reports opened and acted upon,” he said adding that the very police officials who were duty bound to check the drug menace were involved in drugs.
Bajwa reiteratred that the names of several senior officers cropped up in this investigation as also the names of several politicians but they were lying in the sealed cover instead of being acted upon.
Reminding Prasad that the Union Government was a party to the case and could have played an invaluable role in having the covers unsealed, which would allow the STF to carry out its mission in investigating all those who were involved in this menace, regardless of their position in society.
