Punjab Governor seeks report on ‘illegal’ mining involving AAP Legislator’s kin

Chandigarh: Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Thursday wrote a letter to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann seeking a detailed report on the Tarn Taran ‘illegal’ mining incident involving an AAP Legislator’s kin.

His missive comes just days after Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Gurmeet Chauhan was transferred from his posting as Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Tarn Taran after he ordered the arrest of 10 people in an ‘illegal’ mining case.

Those arrested included the brother-in-law of AAP Khadoor Sahib Legislator, Manjinder Singh Lalpura.

The Governor wrote to the Chief Minister saying, “I have been reading contradictory reports in the media regarding the allegations of a MLA about corruption in the police, involvement of an MLA’s close relatives in illegal mining at night, suspension of police officers and the subsequent transfer of Senior Superintendent of Police Taran Tarn.

“The issue of illegal mining is an important one in Punjab and a lot of corruption is attributed to this. In this background, some media reports pointed out that the police party busted an illegal mining activity during the night in Taran Tarn district and one close relative of a MLA is part of it.

“The media reports further suggest that the police party that went to raid the illegal mining activity was suspended and the SSP was transferred.”

The Governor added that in view of the media reports he would like to have a detailed report on the issue of allegations, illegal mining activity and the subsequent action against police officers.