Caught in 'audio clip' row, Patiala SSP proceeds on leave 

Days before the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections on December 14, Patiala SSP Varun Sharma proceeded on leave and Sangrur SSP Sartaj Singh Chahal will now ensure free and fair polls in Patiala and Sangrur.

Sharma took leave just hours ahead of the Punjab and Haryana High Court hearing in the viral audio-clip controversy, in the afternoon today.

Sources in the police department confirmed that SSP Sharma went on a week’s leave on Tuesday evening. They added that, for now, Sangrur SSP Sartaj Chahal will oversee Patiala’s policing in addition to his present posting. Chahal held a meeting with local officers and discussed the law and order ahead of the polling day, later this week.

The move comes ahead of the high court hearing which had on Monday asked the State Election Commission to expedite the inquiry into the audio clip released by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal last week, allegedly of SSP Sharma purportedly directing his subordinates to obstruct opposition candidates from filing their nomination papers.

The petition has sought immediate judicial intervention to ensure free and fair elections, alleging systematic police-led obstruction of opposition candidates during the nomination process.

Filed as public interest litigation by former MLA Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, it sought suspension of SSP Sharma and registration of a CBI-monitored FIR within seven days, asserting that a self-probe by the state police leadership would be “meaningless” when the allegations concern its own functioning.

The petition referred to a purported viral conference-call audio, annexed before the court, revealing directives to halt opponents at homes or routes, act on local MLA’s orders, shield ruling AAP supporters with “positive reports”, and ensure returning officers to reject nominations, engineering uncontested wins and violating the model code of conduct.