SHO suspended for providing gunman to suspended DSP in Moosewala case

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, May 5

Patiala police on Tuesday suspended “with immediate effect” Inspector Gurpreet Bhinder posted as SHO, Julka police station, for allegedly providing head constable Gagandeep Singh as gunman to now suspended DSP Daljit Virk in an “unauthorised manner”.

A notice by the SSP asks “why three months of salary should not be deducted from the suspended SHO”.

The action comes two days after controversial Punjabi pop singer, Sidhu Moosewala, was booked by Barnala police in a criminal cases against him and five police personnel, after a video showing the singer shooting at a firing range went viral on social media.

Two national-level shooters — Karam Singh Lehal and Jang Sher — also named in FIR against Moosewala

The cases were registered on directions of Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta, who also ordered immediate suspension of DSP (Headquarters) Sangrur, Daljit Singh Virk, pending inquiry on charges of delinquency in duty.

Meanwhile, two national-level shooters — Karam Singh Lehal and Jang Sher — have also been named in the FIR against Moosewala.

Lehal was skeet shooter and Jang Sher a junior trap shooter for Indian shooting team. Jang Sher Virk is the son of suspended DSP Daljit Virk.

After the video went viral, the DGP directed the Sangrur SSP to conduct a preliminary enquiry, which prima facie established that the DSP had facilitated shooting at the firing range in Badbar village, at a time when the entire state is under curfew.

“For this lapse Inspector Gurpreet Singh Bhinder and HC Gagandeep Singh are suspended with immediate effect and departmental enquiries are also initiated against both officers,” the Patiala SSP said.

In addition to this, a separate show cause notice has been issued to Inspector Gurpreet Singh Bhinder regarding violation of orders of DGP Punjab vide letter no 320-85 /PS/DGP/ PB (Unauthorised Deployment of Force ) regarding deduction of three-month pay.

Patiala SSP Mandeep Singh Sidhu confirmed the developments claiming that “lackadaisical attitude and dereliction of duty will not be tolerated”.

“Anyone providing gunmen without authorisation will face the music,” he said, adding that Bhinder has provided a gunman attached with his police station to the suspended DSP.

Already a criminal case, under Section 188 of IPC and Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act, has been registered at Police Station Dhanaula, Barnala, against Sidhu Moosewala, Karam Singh Lehal, Inder Singh Grewal, Jang Sher Singh, and five police officers, including one Sub-Inspector, two Head Constables and two Constables.

Meanwhile, Punjab Police Headquarters has moved a reference to the State Home department for initiating departmental enquiry against DSP Daljit Singh Virk, the spokesperson further disclosed.