SHO suspended for dereliction of duty

Kulwinder Sandhu
Tribune News Service
Moga, March 29

The Station House Officer (SHO) of the Badhni Kalan police station, Inspector Sukhdev Singh, was today suspended for dereliction of duty and negligence.

Moga SSP Amarjit Singh Bajwa said the SHO nabbed two smugglers and robbers on March 25, but he did not initiate any legal action against them for two days. “I have suspended him from the service with immediate effect and informed it to the Election Commission, which will now appoint the new SHO,” he said.

On March 25, the SHO and his team took into custody two drug smugglers and highway robbers, identified as Prabhjit Singh and Gurpreet Singh, residents of Amritsar, and recovered two cars stolen from Jalandhar and toy pistols from them. However, Sukhdev did not initiate any legal action against the duo, who was also facing seven criminal cases. They were allegedly kept in illegal custody for two days. Sources claimed that one more person was nabbed, but the SHO released him after “taking bribe”.

On March 27, Ferozepur range IG Mukhwinder Singh Cheena and other senior officers raided the police station and found Prabhjit and Gurpreet locked up. On-the-spot inquiry conducted by the IG and the SSP, prime facie found the SHO guilty of negligence of duty.

Two years ago as well, Sukhdev, posted as SHO at the Badhni Kalan police station, was removed from the post on charges of taking bribe to release a drug smuggler.

No action was taken

Moga SSP Amarjit Singh Bajwa said the SHO of the Badhni Kalan police station, Inspector Sukhdev Singh nabbed two smugglers and robbers on March 25, but he did not initiate any legal action against them for two days.