Punjab govt suspends Amritsar Rural SSP Maninder Singh over failure to curb gangster activity in district
PTC Web Desk: The Punjab Government has suspended Amritsar Rural SSP Maninder Singh, citing a sharp rise in gangster-related activities in the district and his alleged failure to curb them. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ordered the suspension after reports indicated delays in key investigations and inadequate action against organised crime networks.
According to information, several crucial cases reportedly witnessed slow progress, and intelligence inputs suggested laxity in preventing gang operations. Taking serious note of these findings, the government decided to remove the officer from his post.
SSP Maninder Singh, an IPS officer from the 2019 batch, earlier served as Assistant Commissioner of Police in the Amritsar Police Commissionerate before taking over the Amritsar Rural post. Earlier, he also worked as Superintendent of Police in Tarn Taran district and later as Assistant to the Governor of Punjab (ADC).
Before the Tarn Taran bypoll, the Election Commission of India had suspended SSP Dr Ravjot Kaur Grewal, just three days before voting. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had complained to the state Chief Electoral Officer, alleging that she was acting under political influence and registering false cases against its workers. The commission acted on the complaint and removed her from duty.
Dr Grewal, the first woman SSP of Tarn Taran, had taken charge barely two months earlier. She was later replaced by Surinder Lamba.
Another high-profile suspension in Moga
Days before SSP Maninder Singh’s suspension, the Punjab Government suspended Charumita, PCS officer and Moga’s ADC-cum-Municipal Commissioner. Chief Secretary KAP Sinha issued the suspension orders under the Punjab Civil Services (Punishment & Appeal) Rules, 1970.
Charumita’s headquarters during suspension has been fixed in Chandigarh and she has been barred from leaving without permission. Her suspension is linked to alleged irregularities worth Rs 3.7 crore in land acquisition compensation for the National Highway stretch passing through Dharamkot to Bahadurwala. A farmer who did not receive compensation approached the court, leading to a Vigilance Bureau probe and subsequent chargesheet against the officer.
Charumita has, however, denied wrongdoing, claiming she had no role in the alleged irregularities.
- PTC NEWS
