Chandigarh, Oct 21: A senior Punjab police officer has been suspended for allegedly keeping “unauthorised manpower” at his services, a government spokesman said.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Satish Kumar Asthana of Vigilance bureau has been placed under suspension with immediate effect, the spokesman said here.
Disciplinary proceedings for a major penalty have been instituted against Asthana, the spokesman said, adding that the inquiry officer shall be a senior IAS officer nominated on the Chief Secretary's recommendation.
”The disciplinary proceedings shall be conducted on a day- to-day basis and completed at the earliest in a period not exceeding two months,” the spokesman said.
Appropriate departmental action, meanwhile, shall also be taken against those units which provided unauthorised manpower to Asthana, the spokesman said.
A preliminary inquiry was conducted into the matter by ADGP, Security, Dinkar Gupta after it was brought to the notice of the government, the spokesman said.
The action has been taken on the directive of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who also holds the Home portfolio. There were complaints against Asthana about “manpower” kept by him, official sources said.
Recently, the state DGP had told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that 31 unauthorised gunmen, placed at the service of Asthana, would be withdrawn. The DGP had appeared before the high court in connection with a petition filed against Asthana.
Earlier this year, the Election Commission had replaced Asthana as DIG Patiala range before the Punjab Assembly polls.
