CBI quizzes former Jalandhar Police commissioner Kuldeep Chahal in corruption case

New Delhi, August 4

The CBI on Friday quizzed former Jalandhar Police commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal in an alleged case of corruption and misconduct, officials said.

Chahal is under probe for alleged corruption and misconduct during his tenure as the senior superintendent of police (SSP) of Chandigarh, they said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had launched a preliminary enquiry against the officer on a reference from Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Banwarilal Purohit, the officials said.

Chahal was called to the agency office in Chandigarh and was quizzed from 11 am to 2 pm on Friday, they said.

The 2009-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, who was on deputation in Chandigarh, was sent back to his parent cadre, Punjab, in December last year, even though 10 months were left for the completion of his three-year tenure in the Union Territory.

In a letter to the governor, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had expressed surprise over Chahal’s premature repatriation and the handing over of the charge to a Haryana-cadre IPS officer, saying this was going to disturb the balance among the states in running the affairs of the Union Territory of Chandigarh.

Purohit had said Mann did not “ascertain facts” before writing to him on Chahal’s repatriation.

The governor had said the officer was sent back to his parent cadre after complaints of misconduct were received against him, adding that he had even apprised the Punjab chief secretary on November 28 of his decision to remove Chahal.

Purohit wrote a letter to Mann a day after the latter questioned the charge of the senior superintendent of police (SSP), Chandigarh, being given to a Haryana-cadre IPS officer following Chahal’s premature repatriation from the post.