No inquiry against top police officers, Amarinder tells AAP
Chandigarh, July 3: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday ruled out an inquiry against state Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora and DGP, Intelligence, Dinkar Gupta over allegations of shielding other senior police officers on the drugs racket in the state.
Amarinder Singh, who met a delegation of senior AAP leaders who raised the issue of the drugs menace in the state, particularly in the context of the recent spate of drug-related deaths, rejected the demand for inquiry into allegations against the two senior police officers.
The Chief Minister described them as "upright officers in whose honesty he had full faith", a spokesman for the Chief Minister said here.
There were allegations that both top police officers had been shielding former Moga Senior Superintendent of Police Raj Jit Singh against whom allegations of links to the drugs trade were levelled.
The Chief Minister told the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) delegation that he shared their concern over the problem, and that three big drug dealers who had fled India had been identified and police and other agencies were in pursuit of them.
The 12-member AAP delegation demanded a court-monitored Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry and action on the Special Task Force (STF) report, to which the Chief Minister pointed out that the matter was before the court, which was already monitoring the action.
The AAP leaders, who demanded a special assembly session to discuss the issue, expressed concern over the easy availability of drugs in certain areas, as well as reports of sharing of drug money with police.
On the issue of drug-related deaths, the delegation said they suspected intravenous injection of some concoctions by the addicts, while Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann said the addicts could go to any extent to curb withdrawal symptoms.
He was of the view that the panches and sarpanches in villages and municipal councillors in urban areas should be motivated to identify the drug addicts and those supplying drugs to innocent youth.
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Goa nightclub fire: Co-owner Ajay Gupta's police remand extended by four days
Panaji (PTI): A Goa court on Thursday extended by four days the police remand of Ajay Gupta, co-owner of Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, where a devastating fire on December 6 killed 25 persons.
Gupta was arrested from New Delhi on December 10. A court in Mapusa had remanded him in police custody for seven days at the time.
Gupta was presented before the lower court, which sent him to four-day police custody as his initial remand was expiring, his advocate Rohan Desai told reporters.
"Gupta had complained about back pain. The court ordered his medical examination, after which he was allowed use of a mattress in custody. He was examined by a specialised doctor at Goa Medical College and Hospital near here," the lawyer said.
Twenty-five persons, including 20 staff members and five tourists, were killed in the major blaze at the nightclub at Arpora in North Goa around midnight of December 6.
Gupta had, during the day, filed an bail application.
So far, eight persons have been arrested in connection with the case, including Gupta, and two other owners - Gaurav Luthra and his brother Saurabh - who were deported from Thailand.
Five other staffers of the nightclub arrested in the case are Rajiv Modak (Corporate General Manager), Priyanshu Thakur (Gate Manager), Rajveer Singhania (Bar Manager), Vivek Singh (General Manager) and Bharat Karan Singh Kohli (employee).
A Look Out Circular (LOC) has been issued against Surinder Kumar Khosla, another owner of the nightclub who is a British citizen, police said.
