Most of transferred cops back in choicest postings

Aman Sood

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Tribune News Service

Rajpura, December 3

Just after the 2020 hooch tragedy that left 120 people dead in Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts, the Patiala police top brass had transferred over 100 policemen of various ranks from Ghanaur and Rajpura subdivisions to break the “smuggler-police” nexus.

It has come to the fore that most of the transferred cops were back in the twin jurisdictions using “clout”. They included ASI Sarabjit Singh, posted as the Rajpura Sadar munshi, who was arrested and dismissed following the November 27 extra neutral alcohol (ENA) seizure.

The Patiala police had shifted over 150 cops from Ghanaur, Rajpura and Samana over their alleged links with bootleggers and mining mafias. The list included SI-level officials, ASIs, head constables and constables.

The probe revealed smugglers’ links with Ghanaur and Rajpura from where the ENA was being smuggled out to the border belt.

“Overstay of some personnel at one post had been causing hindrance in the discharge of duties. Many cops were hand in glove with smugglers and allowing them to manufacture and sell illicit liquor,” the Patiala police had claimed in 2020. The then DGP had ordered the then Patiala SSP to personally supervise raids in Rajpura against the illegal ENA supply chain.

On November 27, the excise officials recovered 510 litre ENA from two Amritsar-bound vehicles near Banur. “It was meant for bootleggers in Amritsar and surprisingly sold by ASI Sarabjit Singh,” they said.

A senior police officer confirmed Sarabjit too was transferred last year but managed a posting back in the police station again, within months. “He was allegedly selling the ENA and also arranging for it for bootleggers,” he said.

A year on, a majority of these cops are back in their choicest police stations, using clout. “Ultimately we have to get policing done through them and despite knowing that they are working for the liquor mafia, not much can be done due to their links,” said a top cop in Patiala.

Already Rajpura Sadar SHO Gurpreet Handa faces a departmental probe after being suspended. Senior officials said Sarabjit also faced an FIR for repeatedly selling the ENA from the police station.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said such conduct “would not be tolerated” and would break the backbone of the police-smugglers nexus. “There is no tolerance for corruption and indiscipline in the police force,” he said, ensuring a thorough probe into ENA being sold from police station.

Box

ENA ‘sold’ from police station

* The matter came to light when four bootleggers were held for allegedly supplying extra neutral alcohol to manufacture fake liquor

* They revealed they were being ‘supplied’ ENA regularly from inside the Rajpura Sadar police station

* “The checking of the malkhana revealed ENA was missing from case properties,” said a top officer

Bq

Keeping vigil

“ENA was being sold clandestinely from Rajpura Sadar police station to bootleggers and our vigil against ENA from Ghanaur and Rajpura will continue”

— A Venu Prasad, Additional Chief Secretary