Rajmeet Singh
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 26
Fireworks were witnessed during the discussion in the Cabinet meeting today on the situation arising after quashing of former IG Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh-headed SIT probe by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
After discussions, the Cabinet decided to reconstitute the SIT and also file a limited SLP in the Supreme Court with regard to observation and conclusion of the High Court which was “beyond its remit and even at times beyond the law.”
Upset over the political and administrative failure of the government in taking the SIT probe into the Kotkapura police firing incident to its logical conclusion due to shoddy handling of the investigation, PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar and Cooperation Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa are learnt to have offered their written resignations. However, the Chief Mnister is learnt to have rejected the same.
Ministers want Responsibility fixed
- The Cabinet discusses the situation arising after the quashing of SIT probe into the Kotkapura firing incident
- Ministers upset over failure in taking the investigation to its logical conclusion, want responsibility fixed on the officers who acted as impediment in the process
Joining the issue, Technical Education and Cultural Affairs Minister Charanjit Channi reportedly told the Chief Minister that the responsibility of giving justice to people of Punjab lied on his (the CM’s) shoulder, provided there was conviction and willingness to do so. The ministers wanted responsibility fixed on the officers who acted as impediment to the probe.
Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan, DGP Dinkar Gupta, Advocate General Atul Nanda, Justice Mehtab Singh Gill (retd) and Justice Ranjit Singh (retd) were also present in the meeting.
The issue flared up when the Chief Minister expressed his annoyance over some ministers attacking their own government.
“The Chief Minister while praising some of the ministers dealing with the Covid-19 situation said those who do not have faith in him were free to resign from the Cabinet. One of the ministers pointed out that it was the prerogative of the CM to keep or remove any minister,” said a minister.
It is learnt that Randhawa also pointed out holding of a pre-Cabinet meeting of some of the ministers by Sports Minister Rana Gurmeet Sodhi. The PPCC chief too joined the issue before the Chief Minister prevailed upon them.
“Who is responsible for embarrassing the Congress government, when the DGP and AG have said they were not involved in the SIT probe by IG Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh. Why action is not being taken against the IG for leaving gaps in the probe,” said another minister.
Read More: New SIT to probe Kotkapura case : The Tribune India