In a major development, on Saturday, Punjab Additional
Director General of police and head of Bureau of Investigation SK Asthana has
proceeded for two-day leave amid the reports of pressure on the Channi-led-Congress
government to take action against the SAD leaders in Rs 6,000-crore synthetic
drug case.
A fortnight ago, SK Asthana was appointed as Bureau of Investigation
Chief to initiate the probe and arrest high-profile Shiromani Akali Dal
politicians involved in drug case.
Meanwhile, SK Asthana has denied reports of being under
pressure. He claimed that that he has faced much political pressure in his
career but the exact reason behind his leave application is his serious ailment.
In his letter to Punjab govt, Asthana said, “It is humbly
submitted that I have a medical emergency with severe atrial fibrillation of
the heart leading to abnormal heart rhythm and heart rate. I have been advised
by the doctor to be on complete medical rest for the next 48-hours” he
reportedly said.
Asthana was supposed to meet Punjab CM Channi today to
discuss the drug case. However, citing his health issues BOI Chief proceeded on
leave. Also, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal had
earlier alleged that Punjab CM is pressurizing the state police chief to
implicate the Akali Dal leadership in the 2015 sacrilege and police firing
cases.
ADGP Asthana has replaced ADGP Varinder Kumar and before
him, Arpit Shukla was moved out as BoI head. “Both officials replaced before
Asthana had expressed their inability to take action against a former Akali
minister stating that there was nothing concrete against him on official
files,” said a senior official familiar with developments.
To this development, a senior official said that the
government has put enormous pressure on the BoI to take action against a former
Akali minister after officials from the Special Task Force (STF) stated that
they have been unable to charge any high-profile SAD politician.
The STF’s report and drug menace have remained one of the
key issues in Punjab. With elections approaching and unprecedented change in
guard, the ruling Congress has been under high pressure to act over the issue.
PPCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu since long has been targeting his own government
over the matter, inflicting major damage to the party’s image ahead of polls.
If sources are to be believed, the STF report contains
several high profile individuals and the Channi government will try to make the
names public to win the trust of Punjab voters.