VIPs too hot to handle

Kumar Rakesh / TNN / Dec 18, 2006, 02:03 IST

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The impression that Punjab VIPs could pull strings with senior officers has become so prevalent among the middle-rung officials.

CHANDIGARH: Top UT police officials may deny fervently that they have unofficial masters sitting in Punjab secretariat, but as another accused belonging to influential echelons of the state manages to come clean from a most heinous charge, the mud has only stuck more firmly to their face.
Akali MLA Gaganjit Singh Barnala, who has got a major reprieve in the rape case with the "victim"turning hostile, would only be joining a long list of Punjab VIPs who either never faced any legal trouble for their alleged criminal acts in city or if they did, like Barnala, they managed to come out unscathed.
When Punjab chief secretary KR Lakhanpal's security staff recently beat up three helpless persons in full public view as they dared to come in the way of their cavalcade, all two DSPs did was to cajole and coerce the victims into not filing any complaint.
While a case was registered, a day later after a huge outcry, the police probe has reached nowhere. Leave alone making any arrest, the cops did not even record their statements.

Investigating officials say the complainants have agreed to compromise, so the case is set to be buried.
On April 10 this year, five persons, some claiming to be wards of Punjab police and politicians and accompanied by gunmen, in an inebriated state, created a scare in Chandigarh Golf Association (CGA) as they beat-up waiters when latter asked them to pay their bills. The police officials reached the spot in time but did nothing.

They registered a case but could not arrest a single person, and allegedly gave them enough time to seek anticipatory bail.
The impression that Punjab VIPs could pull strings with senior officers has become so prevalent among the middle-rung officials like inspectors that they often ignore their shenanigans lest they are pulled up by their superiors.
Only recently, son, who is known for his wayward ways, of Punjab Congress president Shamsher Singh Dullo was caught travelling in red-beaconed vehicle and then berated the cops who objected to it.
He was still let off and challaned the next day after reports appeared in media.
"We are first asked to bring out compromise or sort out matters involving these VIPs and, if the information goes public the same officer pulls us up. It's a strange situation and we live with this everyday,"a SHO told TOI.

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