Punjab: Police initiate probe against Muktsar DC, Gidderbaha SDM

Muktsar senior superintendent of police (SSP) Tushar Gupta on Thursday marked an inquiry against the deputy commissioner, Gidderbaha sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and several other officials on duty for the panchayat elections for allegedly committing irregularities.

Confirming this, the SSP said further action will be initiated on the basis of the outcome of the investigation to be conducted by SP (headquarters) Kamalpreet Singh Chahal.

The development came after Ludhiana parliamentarian and Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Thursday reached the SSP office with around 60 complainants who charged the Muktsar civil administration for being biased in rejecting their election papers.

The complaints were submitted to the SSP on affidavits.

Warring alleged that officials of Muktsar administration played a mischief in rejecting the nomination papers of several panchayat aspirants from 29 villages of Gidderbaha assembly segment.

He warned to gherao the official residence of the DC as a mark of protest.

“It is being claimed that several of candidates had withdrawn their nomination papers. But the panchayat election aspirants rubbished the claim as the officials of election duty forged the documents to claim papers were withdrawn by candidates. The Congress leadership stand firmly with the grassroots workers and we will support their legal fight by filing more petitions in the Punjab and Haryana high court,” said Warring.