Umranangal asks Khaira to be patient, says no action till SIT report comes

Wednesday, 11/03/2015

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Reacting to Monday’s development,ex-Cong MLA from Bholath apprehends his implication in smuggling case

Bathinda : A day after Fazilka Police revealed former Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira’s alleged proximity with a recently nabbed mastermind of transborder drugs peddling racket, senior police officials on Tuesday assured Khaira of not subjecting him to harassment in any manner until a high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case ascertains his connivance in the crime.

“I urge Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira not to be impatient with an assurance that he would not be subjected to any kind of harassment until the SIT actually corroborates his connivance in the serious crime of smuggling drugs,” said Bathinda zone Inspector General of Police Paramraj Singh Umranangal.

Umranangal was speaking in context with Khaira’s press statement issued on Tuesday afternoon in which the former Congress MLA from Bholath had termed the Monday’s development as false, malicious and politically motivated conspiracy of state rulers to implicate him in a false case.

In his media address at Chandigarh, after going through the newspapers in the morning, Khaira had admitted that Gurdev Singh, the prime accused of drug smuggling, was a known political supporter of him. However, in the same breath, Khaira had denied being aware of Gurdev dealing in drugs or any such activities.

Gurdev Singh has remained Chairman of Market Committee Dhillwan in Bholath assembly segment during the Congress regime, as learnt. Fazilka Police have arrested Gurdev along with seven members of his alleged gang, including a woman, with a claim of recovering two kgs of heroin, 24 gold biscuits, two firearms and some Pakistani mobile connections from their possession.

While addressing the media, Khaira during the day also admitted having exchanged repeated calls with Gurdev in the past one year, but stated that it couldn’t be termed as an offence for the two being connected for long past.

While justifying his claim, Khaira also mentioned that Gurdev Singh was seriously affected by Hepatitis-B virus for the last two years and out of courtesy, he would enquire about his health.

Further, he also admitted of contacting Bathinda zone IG Paramraj Singh Umranangal and Ferozepur range DIG Amar Singh Chahal to seek help for Gurdev on March 4, as Umranangal too had stated before media on Monday.

Khaira, however, claimed that it was a sincere gesture of him to ensure that Gurdev, as apprehended by Gurdev’s sister, should not be implicated in a fabricated case.

“The IG and the DIG told me about his nefarious dealings after which I withdrew my request to help him,” he claimed.

Further, Khaira asked the state government to order an independent probe by either a sitting judge of the High Court or a CBI inquiry, to ascertain his role in the case.

On the other hand, Bathinda zone IGP Paramraj Singh Umranangal termed Khaira as ‘going impatient’ after his name popped up in the crime.

“I have learnt about his media statement, which makes me to avail an opportunity to clarify that former Congress MLA has himself endorsed most of things we had said about him and Gurdev Singh on Monday. After going through each and every sentence of his press release, I request him to relax at home as neither have we implicated him in the case nor there is any urgency for us to do so,” said Umranangal.

“Against Khaira’s anxiety, I convey him a clear message through media that a high-level SIT has been formed in the headship of a DIG rank official with SSP and SP (D) from Fazilka being its members, to solve the complexities of the case. We will opt to wait till the SIT submits its report to me. And the report is bound to reach my office within 15 days,” he stressed.

Speaking further, Umranangal asserted, “Being zonal head of the state police and also supervising the whole operation, I assure one and all that no innocent will be harassed in the case in any manner but with a clear mention that if anyone, whosoever he or she may be, if found guilty of having any direct or indirect connivance in the crime, will not at all be spared.”

Meanwhile, the IGP disclosed that Khaira had deep links with the racket’s prime accused Gurdev’s sister too, living abroad.

“While pleading with me for Gurdev, Khaira had claimed that whenever he visited UK, he stayed at the residence of Gurdev’s sister but we didn’t highlight it for opting it to keep as a matter of investigation for the SIT constituted with the purpose,” disclosed Umranangal.

He also mentioned that soon after police media meet was held in Fazilka on Monday, Khaira was repeatedly trying to contact him, but the latter was unwilling to take his calls.