With Punjab waiting for a new government, the power vacuum has thrown up an interesting confrontation, It all began when Punjab director-general of police (jails) Shashi Kant made a public statement that the “drug mafia” in the state has “political patronage”.
He created a flutter in the state police by saying he has been threatened by the drug mafia for his steps to curb the menace of drugs inside prisons.
In an another oblique attack towards the police department, the DGP (prisons) said that the Punjab police failed to check the inflow of drugs into the jails of the state despite the seizure of more then 700 mobiles from inmates in Punjab’s prisons. He also said that the political class has pressured the state police, resulting in no action against the drug mafia.
However, this bold disclosure did not go down well with the Punjab police. A memo was issued from the office of DGP Punjab, Mr Anil Kaushik, withdrawing the official vehicles as well as security of director-general of police (prisons) Shashi Kant.
Mr Kant was criticised for airing his views publicly.
Refusing to take the orders lying down, Mr Shashi Kant refused to give up his official vehicles.
Mr Shashi Kant said that he would not succumb to such tactics as having security men and official vehicles are his prerogative as an official involved in checking criminal activities.
Realising that the controversy was getting out of hand and causing embarrassment to a lot of people, the state home department had to intervene to sort out the matter between the two DGPs involved in the face- off.
Principal secretary (home) D.S. Bains summoned both the DGPs and advised them not to air their views publicly on inter-departmental matters. It is learnt that in the meeting the main point of disagreement between the DGPs was the withdrawal of official vehicles.