Punjab: Fazilka SSP suspended after cyber police station SHO takes bribe

The Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government on Wednesday placed the Fazilka district police chief, Varinderpal Singh Brar, under suspension with immediate effect.

Though the reason behind the senior superintendent of police’s suspension was not stated, Punjab government sources said the action against Brar followed his inability to curb corruption in the border district.

Acting on the orders of the chief minister, the state vigilance bureau (VB) on Tuesday arrested the station house officer (SHO) of the cyber crime police station in Fazilka along with three other police personnel for taking a bribe of ₹1 lakh in a case involving a teenager’s confiscated phone.

The case came to light when Dharminder Singh, the father of the 17-year-old, approached the chief minister with evidence of bribe demands by the cyber crime police station in Fazilka.

The police had confiscated the teenager’s phone following a cyber complaint. Despite repeated attempts by family members to resolve the issue, they were forced to pay the bribe to settle the matter.

Sources said the family of the victim had approached the SSP before reaching out to the chief minister since no action was taken.

Besides the SHO, a reader and two constables were arrested.

Reiterating his government’s zero tolerance for corruption following the arrest of Jalandhar Central AAP MLA Raman Arora last week, Bhagwant Mann had said that no officer or politician, however affluent he may be, involved “in this heinous crime against humanity” would be spared.

In a message to people, Mann said the action against his party MLA again sent a clear message that there is no pick and choose in the fight against corruption.