Sidhu Moosewala booked for ‘violating’ curbs, six cops suspended

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 4

Acting against controversial Punjabi pop singer Sidhu Moosewala, the Barnala police on Monday registered criminal cases against him and six police personnel, after a video showing the singer shooting at a firing range went viral on the social media. The video purportedly showed some policemen teaching the singer how to fire using their service weapon.

The cases were registered on the directions of Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta, who also ordered immediate suspension of DSP (Headquarters), Sangrur, Daljit Singh Virk, pending an inquiry on charges of dereliction of duty. Apart from him, five police personnel were also suspended.

After the video went viral, the DGP directed the SSP, Sangrur, to conduct a preliminary inquiry, which prima facie established that the DSP had facilitated the shooting at the firing range in Badbar village, at a time when the entire state is under curfew. On receipt of the report, a departmental inquiry was initiated against the DSP.

The DGP took a stern view of the DSP’s act of deputing police personnel attached with him at the shooting range unauthorisedly, and acting in a manner unbecoming of an officer.

A criminal case under Sections 188 of the IPC and Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act has been registered at Dhanaula police station, Barnala, against Moosewala, Karam Singh Lehal, Inder Singh Grewal, Jang Sher Singh and five policemen, including a Sub-Inspector, two Head Constables and two Constables. All the police officers were posted in Sangrur district and further investigations were in progress, an official spokesperson of the police department said.