Haryana seeks UT ex-Home Secy’s explanation; car driver held

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 30

Days after senior Haryana bureaucrat Anil Kumar’s official car knocked down a 90-year-old war veteran at Tagore Theatre, the Haryana Government has sought an explanation from the former UT Home Secretary ever as the Chandigarh Police today arrested the car driver, who has been identified as Saurabh.

Sources said Chief Secretary DS Dhesi has sought “comments” from Anil Kumar on the entire issue, which has snowballed into a major controversy and has caused embarrassment to the Haryana Government. Anil Kumar, a former UT Home Secretary, is currently posted as Principal Secretary, Industrial Training Department, Haryana.

The Haryana Government vehicle knocked down Capt Paramjit Kaur Dhanoa (retd), a former Army doctor, on September 25 when she was entering Tagore Theatre to watch a play along with her family members. The bureaucrat reportedly did not stop to help Dhanoa and hurriedly left the scene because he was getting late for the play.

Meanwhile, under fire for not arresting the driver of the official car of the Haryana officer, the police today arrested the driver, a contractual employee, who was later released on bail. The police have impounded the Honda City car (HR 70 R 0078) and are getting the vehicle forensically examined to gather evidence in the case registered under Sections 279 (rash driving) and 337 (endangering life and personal safety of others) of the IPC.

The incident took place on September 25 when Capt Paramjit Kaur Dhanoa (retd), a nonagenarian veteran of the 1962 Sino-Indian war, was knocked down by the official car belonging to the Haryana cadre IAS officer, who was present in the car at the time of the accident.

Her son Inderpreet Singh Dhanoa had filed a complaint with the police a day after the accident on September 26. However, a case against the driver was registered after much delay only on September 28, raising questions over the police functioning.

Guriqbal Singh Sidhu, ASP (East), said the driver had been arrested and the car impounded by the police.

Meanwhile, the police are also looking into the complaint filed by the former UT Home Secretary under the IT Act against the grandson of the 90-year-old victim for allegedly using foul language on Facebook.