Chandigarh, September 10
The issue of keeping “cats”- militants-turned police informers, today snowballed into a political controversy with former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh saying the police used “cats” to tackle terrorism all over the world and Punjab was no exception.

Hinting at wide ramifications of registering a case against former Punjab DGP S.S. Virk for allegedly maintaining “cats” to fight terror, Amarinder Singh said “there may be hundreds of such operatives in Kashmir and Nagaland”. How else can terrorism be curbed without infiltrating into their ranks? he asked alleging “ show me one police officer in Punjab who did not use ‘cats’ for undercover operations.

The arrest of Virk was a “tragedy”motivated by political vendetta launched by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal. Amarinder said he was in touch with the Congress high-command and Virk would be defended.

Former Punjab DGP S.S. Virk comes out of the Civil Hospital in Mohali on Monday. — Tribune photo by Vicky Gharu

The former Chief Minister spent close to 30 minutes with Virk in a private room in the PGI here today. Virk was referred from the civil hospital Mohali to the PGI for treatment of his hypertension. A medical board comprising senior doctors from the surgery, internal medicine and cardiology was set up. It examined him and advised Virk be admitted to the hospital. Virk has been on a sort of “hunger strike” since arrest by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau on Sunday morning. He has refused to eat anything. A senior cop cajoled him into having tea this morning.

Virk, in the past, has been treated for cancer of the urinary bladder. During his admission at the PGI, his heart functions needed to be assessed in addition to achieving good blood pressure control, said the PGI. Amarinder said Virk had high morale and did not crumble or let emotions take over as the two met. Amarinder was accompanied by a couple of loyalists and the director PGI had deputed a team of doctors to brief Amarinder Singh on Virk’s condition.

Meanwhile Amarinder Singh ,talking to media persons, said he could not comment if “cats” had operated in Punjab during terrorism with the knowledge of the central intelligence agencies or the government of India.

Amarinder Singh said it was Badal who ordered the arrest of Virk and not Sumedh Singh Saini director of the VB. How can Saini, an IG-level officer order the arrest of serving DGP ? Badal was lying when he said through his media adviser that such matters did not require the intervention of the Chief Minister. The IPS and IAS officers were backbone of the country and running such vendetta campaigns would demoralise the entire police force. How would terrorism be tackled if such things happened later?, Amarinder asked.

Asked if he apprehended more arrests Amarinder said “ask Badal and Sukhbir”.

Punjab government violated every section of the law while arresting Virk. The government sought no prior permission from either the Union Home Ministry or the Maharashtra government while arresting the IPS officer, he said. Virk is a Maharashtra cadre IPS officer.

‘Virk came to the state when terrorism was at peak. “ He served the country very loyally and fought terrorism”, Amarinder added.