Patiala Police SSP Varun Sharma on leave from December 10-15 in the case of preventing the filing of nomination papers for Punjab Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections.
SNPNEWS.IN News (Gurmail Kamboj): Punjab Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections are going to be held on December 14, in connection with which the date for filing nomination papers was December 3-5. On December 3, an approximately 18-minute audio clip of Patiala Police SSP Varun Sharma and several other DSPs of the district, including some employees, was shared by Sukhbir Singh Badal, President Akali Dal (Badal) through social media.
In the alleged audio, the officers were giving instructions to the lower employees to prevent Akali, Congress, BJP and independent candidates from filing nomination papers. According to the audio clip, the employees will stop the candidates from filing nomination papers on their way to their homes, villages or offices with the help of the local MLA’s. The alleged audio clip was allegedly about MLA’s supporters snatching nomination papers from candidates.
On December 4-5, similar incidents of candidates being stopped and their nomination papers being snatched (as claimed in the audio clip) were reported in many parts of Patiala district. Which the opposition parties termed as the murder of democracy. Apart from Patiala, reports of the ruling party bullying the candidates in the presence of the administration were reported from many other districts.
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The Patiala Police Administration claimed that the alleged audio was fake and AI based and denied any involvement of any administration official in it. The Police Administration issued a notice against Sukhbir Singh Badal, journalist Ratan Dhaliwal in the case of sharing the alleged audio.
The Akali Dal (Badal), Congress and BJP complained to the Election Commission in this matter and demanded action against the guilty officials. Apart from this, the Akali Dal Badal and Congress filed a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court demanding an investigation into the matter and action against the Patiala Police.
On December 4, the Hon’ble High Court bench took the audio clip on record and sought a transcript. The Hon’ble Court sought a response from the State Election Commission in the matter.
During the second hearing on December 8, the Election Commission was directed to expedite the investigation and asked to respond by December 10.
On December 10, the petitioners said that they did not trust the investigation of the Punjab Police, hence an investigation by an impartial agency was required. The court ordered that the audio clip be sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Chandigarh for examination.
The court directed the State Election Commission to issue general directions to all police officers to behave impartially and keep the elections fair.
On the same day, Patiala SSP Varun Sharma was sent on leave (from December 10 to 15), and Sangrur SSP Sartaj Singh Chahal was given additional charge. The court noted this.
In this case, it will be clear after the forensic examination of the audio clip. Is the claim made by the police correct or the allegations made by the opposition parties.