Retired judge to probe charges against Punjab ex-DGP Sidharth Chattopadhyaya

Jupinderjit Singh

Chandigarh, January 1

The government today decided to hand over the probe into charges against ex-DGP Sidharth Chattopadhyaya to a retired judge. The former DGP was accused of giving security to a rape accused proclaimed offender (PO) and keeping 40 gunmen for his own security in violation of the rules.

‘Victim of vicious campaign’

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• Ex-DGP Sidharth Chattopadhyaya said he was the victim of a vicious campaign as he had exposed the drugs smugglers’ network. The person given the security was not a PO at that time and, moreover, he was given security by the previous DGPs too
• On the allegation of keeping 40 security guards during and after he was shifted from the post, Chattopadhyaya said he had never sought any special security and it was the government which provided him the guards

Sources said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had issued directions for the probe by a retired judge instead of options of appointing a retired IAS or IPS officer for it.

Chattopadhyaya, during his tenure as Punjab DGP for about a month between December 2021 and January 2022, had allegedly provided police security to VP Singh of Ferozepur. He was allegedly a proclaimed offender in a rape case. The ex-DGP was earlier chargesheeted in the same matter.

Sources said the inquiry had been ordered following his reply to the chargesheet. The inquiry officer would ascertain the facts as per the charges against the ex-DGP and the counter-claims made by him.

The inquiry officer would also probe if the ex-DGP had violated rules to keep 40 security guards.

The ex-DGP said he was a victim of a vicious campaign as he had exposed the drugs smugglers’ network. “The person given the security was not a PO at that time and, moreover, he was given police security by the previous DGPs too,” he said.

On the allegation of keeping 40 security guards during and after he was shifted from the post of DGP, Chattopadhyaya said he had never sought any special security and it was the government which provided him the guards. “I am sure the inquiry will bring out the truth,” he said.

The ex-DGP has remained in the thick of controversies. He had been indicted for the serious lapse in the security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he visited Punjab in January 2022. He had been given a show-cause notice in that case and is yet to reply to the charges. He had sought the record of the security detail for submitting his reply.