Kapurthala police to submit next report on Nov 19

A detailed report on further action against state Congress chief Raja Warring over his alleged insulting remarks against veteran leader Buta Singh is likely to be submitted on November 19. The report has been sought from the Kapurthala police by state SC Commission chairman Jasbir Singh Garhi.

After the SSP Kapurthala submitted a status report of the case to the Punjab State Commission for Scheduled Castes (PSSCC) on November 10, Hargurdev Singh, DSP, Kapurthala police, received a severe dressing down from Garhi on Wednesday.

After Warring’s alleged racial remarks against Buta Singh during the Tarn Taran bypoll, a case was registered against him on November 5 at the cyber crime police station in Kapurthala under Sections 353, 196 of the BNS and other Sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (Amendment 2015), on the complaint of Sarabjot Singh, the nephew of Buta Singh.

On Wednesday, addressing Kapurthala DSP regarding the case, Garhi had asked him why Warring had not been arrested. Garhi had said, "Raja hi hai, Robinhood tan nahi haiga. Kinne din ch report karoge. (He is Raja (Warring), not Robinhood that you can't find him. In how many days will the action against him be taken?)”

Questioning why he couldn't be arrested when he was frequently seen in public gatherings, Garhi had added that Warring had insulted Dalits and got away with it, which wasn't acceptable.

Garhi even reprimanded the official for the delay in the forensic report of the video of the case. When the DSP told him that it would take about a week, Garhi replied, "If you can't get it, then let me. I will get it done within 24 hours."

Before the Wednesday incident, Garhi had questioned Kapurthala police on November 10 and had sought the next report on the case on November 19. Garhi had also then instructed the police to give a weekly report in the case.

Speaking to The Tribune, Garhi said, "The initial report of the action on the case was submitted by Kapurthala police on November 10. The report on the action taken in the past 10 days by the police is awaited on November 19. Since a case has been registered, the Kapurthala police are the agency with which the further inquiry in the case is solely vested for now. The commission will await the November 19 report before any further comment or action on the issue."

SSP Kapurthala Gaurav Tura and DSP Hargurdev Singh could not be contacted despite repeated calls.