SHO, who beat up mining GM, probing assault charge

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 21

A couple of days after General Manager (Mining) Tehal Singh Sekhon was allegedly attacked by henchmen of the mining mafia and later by an SHO, the Patiala police are yet to take action against the erring cop. Instead, he continues to spearhead the investigation into illegal mining, an allegation levelled by Sekhon, and the assault charge.

The mining officer has accused SHO Kulwinder Singh of being hand in glove with the mining mafia and its political masters.

The district administration and the police, investigating separately into the entire incident, are yet to reach a conclusion.

Sources say a godown is being constructed near the district’s Rajla village and illegally mined sand is being used in its construction. The contract for the godown has been bagged by a close aide of a Congress MLA, who is also a contractor. So, the local administration is a mute spectator to the illegal mining from nearby Ghaggar belt, the sources say.

“We are helpless as the MLA and his henchmen are influential. The local police play into their hands as the MLA manages their posting. Instead of acting against the mafia, the police allow the nexus to flourish,” a senior official said, requesting anonymity.

“Lax investigation is the reason that the police have failed to find out owners of the godown. The contractor dumped illegally mined sand worth Rs2.5 crore at the construction site without paying any tax,” said a senior officer posted in Rajpura.

On Sunday, Sekhon was kept in illegal custody and later allegedly beaten up inside a police station by the SHO after he refused to strike a compromise with the mafia’s henchmen.

“We cannot take action against anyone without an inquiry. The matter is under investigation,” said AS Rai, Patiala Zone IG.

The Mining Department has, meanwhile, asked DC Kumar Amit to send administration’s finding on the entire incident.

The DC said he could not comment on the SHO’s conduct, but he would send his fact-finding report by tomorrow.

Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police S Bhupathi could not be contacted.

Dismiss cop, demands SAD

• The SAD on Tuesday demanded dismissal of SHO Kulwinder Singh, who allegedly kept Mining GM Tehal Singh Sekhon in illegal custody to force a compromise with the mining mafia 
• Party spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said it was shocking that Sekhon was beaten up at Shambhu police station (Patiala district) for doing his duty of checking illegal mining 
• “It is even more shocking that the mining official is running from pillar to post for two days to get justice,” he said, adding that the SAD would raise the matter in the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha session