CHANDIGARH: While taking up a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a local NGO seeking directions to remove Sumedh Singh Saini from the post of DGP, Punjab, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday asked the petitioner to prove its locus standi on the issue.
When the matter came up for hearing before a division bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Mahesh Grover, the bench asked the petitioner to give information about the NGO and the initiative taken by it in public interest so far.
The HC adjourned the issue for further hearing to April 17 without taking any cognizance of the PIL.
The petition was filed by an NGO, Voice for Freedom, through its director, Simranjit Singh who is an advocate at the high court and a resident of Mohali. Seeking directions for quashing the appointment of Punjab DGP, Sumedh Singh Saini, the petitioner submitted that an inquiry against the persons concerned who have withheld the material record pertaining to the criminal case pending against Saini while promoting him to the top post was pending.
He added that Saini’s appointment was in clear violation of apex court directions and was also against the spirit of the Punjab police Act.
The petitioner also referred to the recent decision of the Karnataka high court setting aside the appointment of the state DGP holding that the selection process was vitiated since the report of atrocities against women and tribals by the special task force that he headed was deliberately suppressed from the selection authorities.
The petitioner has impleaded, Union ministry of home affairs, home department, Punjab, Sumedh Singh Saini and the CBI as parties in this case.
News Source: TImes of India
