Chandigarh, July 2: The Punjab government on Monday dismissed deputy superintendent of police (DSP), Ferozepur, Daljit Singh Dhillon from service over allegations of pushing women into drugs. The orders were issued by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh under provisions of Article 311 of the Constitution, said a press release.
Head constable Inderjit Singh has also been dismissed by the commissioner of police, Jalandhar, for sexual exploitation of a woman there on the pretext of marrying her.
Dhillon was earlier placed under suspension on June 28, following charges of pushing a 28-year-old Ludhiana woman into drugs, while Inderjit was under suspension since September last year. Dismissal orders of Dhillon came after legal examination of a fact-finding inquiry conducted by Anita Punj, director, Punjab Police Academy, Phillaur, and based on the statement of the woman.
A case under sections 376 (rape) and 376C (rape by in-service officer) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the DSP on Sunday. In the inquiry, the officer was found indulging in “morally corrupt” activities while posted at Tarn Taran and “misusing his official position and powers vested in him as a gazetted police officer” by “raping” a girl and “alluring her into drugs”, according to the press release.
Further probe has been entrusted to a special investigating team headed by Arunpal Singh, IGP (crime), Sanmeet Kaur, AIG (investigation), and Rakesh Kaushal, commandant.
As for the dismissal of Inderjit, in August a video of the alleged marriage of the woman with him went viral, showing her alleging that the head constable had sexually exploited her on the pretext of marriage and also solemnised marriage with her to save his skin, and pushed her into drug abuse.
A spokesperson said there was a series of complaints filed by a woman, but she retracted her statements, making it “impossible” for the police to investigate the matter. The spokesperson said the commissioner felt that in the present circumstances it was “not reasonably practicable” to conduct a departmental inquiry or any other proceeding against Inderjit, and thus he was dismissed.
On June 30, the mother of the victim submitted a formal complaint with the Jalandhar police that the head constable had taken away her daughter. She said she feared her efforts to save her daughter would fail as the police officer would again push her into drugs.
