Thaindian News

Chandigarh, March 16 (IANS) The Congress Wednesday questioned the continuance of a senior police officer, who is facing trial in two murder cases, as the Punjab vigilance chief.

Punjab Congress president and former chief minister Amarinder Singh questioned in the state assembly the appointment and continuance of senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Sumedh Singh Saini as the chief director of vigilance.

“I would be failing in my duties if I don’t mention the appointment of an officer as chief vigilance director, who is facing trial in two murder cases,” Singh told the assembly.

Referring to the recent judgment of the Supreme Court ordering the removal of Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) P.J. Thomas, Singh said that the apex court had aptly observed that only officers of proven integrity should be appointed to such posts.

“The personal integrity of the chief director of vigilance and the institutional integrity of the vigilance bureau stand in tatters with the appointment of a person standing trial for murder,” he remarked.

Accusing the Akali Dal-led government of politicising the state police, Singh pointed out that incidence of crime in the state has risen by 26 percent in the four years of the present government’s rule.

Saini, a decorated police officer, is facing Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probes into the killing of Khalistani militants and the mysterious disappearance of two Ludhiana-based businessmen and their driver during years (1982-95) of militancy in Punjab.