Chandigarh, March 14, 2021 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab MLA, former leader of opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha and president of Punjab Ekta Party, Sukhpal Singh Khaira has shot off complaints to SSPs of Chandigarh and Kapurthala seeking registration of FIR against ED officials who raided his premises on March 9 without any precaution and without following SOP norms laid down for COVID-19.
Terming it as gross negligence on the part of ED officials, Khaira said, as a result of this negligence, one of his PSOs named ASI Onkar Singh 272KPT has tested positive for COVID on March 12.
He has alleged that the violations of COVID protocol by the ED team endangered the life of his family and staff present during the ED raid.
FULL TEXT OF THE Complaint made by Khaira to the SSP Chandigarh is given hereunder:
Dated:14.03.2021
To,
The Senior Superintendent of Police,
Chandigarh. (UT).
Subject:- Complaint against Directorate of Enforcement officials for violations of COVID – 19 Standard operating Procedure while raiding my residential premises at House no. 6 Sector 5, Chandigarh that has resulted in one of my PSO ASI Onkar Singh (272 KPT) being infected by COVID-19 (Copy of report attached).
Sir,
As stated above my residence at House no 6 Sector 5, Chandigarh, my ancestral residence at Village Ramgarh District Kapurthala, my son in laws residence in Delhi were raided by a team Directorate of Enforcement officials (hereinafter referred to as ED) headed by Ms. Neha Yadav Deputy Director ED on 9.03.2021 at 8 am. I wish to bring on record that the team comprising of about 25-30 policemen checked hundreds of my home items including cupboards, drawers, suitcases etc and also used my office computer for multiple hours and while doing so they touched all our door handles, keys etc that can easily contaminate and pass on the deadly COVID-19 virus onto my family and my staff very easily. These facts I specifically conveyed to miss Neha Yadav, Deputy Director, Directorate of Enforcement at the beginning of the raid on 9.03.2021 at my residence.
I have reason to be alarmed on this account because one of my PSO ASI Onkar Singh 272 KPT has tested positive on 12.03.2021(COVID-19 report attached) after the raid conducted at my ancestral residence at Village Ramgarh, District Kapurthala. The abovementioned ASI Onkar Singh was part and parcel of the raid conducted at my village on 9.03.2021. While assisting the ED team he also served lunch to the ED team due to which he may have probably contacted the virus from some members of the ED, team as no member of the raiding team took the necessary protection/precaution as required under the COVID-19 norms and Standard Operating Procedures that include wearing masks, gloves, social distancing etc. I also wish to bring on record that none of the members of the raiding ED teams, at my residential premises in Chandigarh, Village Ramgarh District Kapurthala, produced mandatory negative tests certificates before commencement of raids at the said places. The abovementioned facts can be corroborated in the videos recorded by the ED teams as well as through media reports of raids.
Furthermore, it is pertinent to mention that the said COVID-19 infected ASI Onkar Singh intermingled my entire family and my staff that include Manish Kumar PA, my son, wife, daughter, daughter in law and others. As per COVID-19 SOP any person who has contacted any COVID-19 positive person needs to be tested after 5 days of sampling of the said affected person. Therefore in this case we all, meaning my family members and my staff would be taking a COVID-19 test on 18.03.2021 as ASI Onkar Singh tested positive on 12.03.2021.
I also wish to bring on record that Mrs. Simmer Khaira Johal, my daughter, who is in the ninth month of her pregnancy was also present at my Chandigarh home during the said raid. Her cell phone was taken away from her during the search, touched many times by the raiding staff and ultimately handed back to her at the end of the raid which can very easily transmit COVID-19 infection and endanger not only her life but also the life of the unborn child. Apart from her cell phone, her room, the clothes prepared and other item prepared for the would be new born baby that were washed and sanitized were also checked and repeatedly touched and ruffled up, clearly endangering her and her unborn child’s lives. Similarly during the raid at the Delhi residence of my son in law Inderveer Singh Johal the ED team without taking the above said precaution committed all the violations of COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures endangering the lives of my son in-laws newly born niece and nephew and their mother. The ED raiding team at Delhi did not even spare the kitchen area where they played havoc with the utensils and other eatable items that can very easily spread COVID-19.
Sir, therefore I request that an FIR for violating the COVID-19 norms and SOP’s be registered against all members of the ED raiding teams at Chandigarh without any further delay, so that agency does not further endanger the lives of other citizens during such raids
Thanking you
Sukhpal Singh Khaira
House no. 6 Sector 5, Chandigarh
MLA (Bholath)
Former Leader of Opposition
Punjab.
Copies to:
I. Station House Officer, Police Station Sector 3, Chandigarh.
