GURDASPUR: Member of Parliament and former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has levelled serious allegations against several Punjab Police officers, claiming that some senior police officials are in direct contact with gangsters and demanded an investigation into their mobile phone call records to establish the nature of their alleged links.Talking to media persons on Thursday Randhawa alleged that there were officers to the ranks of SSP, DSP who allegedly had links with the gangsters.Challenging Punjab director general of punjab (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, Randhawa demanded that the mobile phones and call details of the concerned police officers be examined to determine which gangsters had been in contact with them and how frequently they communicated.Randhawa said he was prepared to face legal action if his allegations were proved wrong.“If my allegations are found to be false, the DGP can register an FIR against me. Otherwise, cases should be registered against these officers,” he said.Stating that the Congress would take the issues to the streets, he said he would lead the protests in front of the offices of these police officials.Randhawa also demanded a thorough investigation into the death of Gulzar Singh in Toor village of Sangrur, alleging that the case could have links with gangsters operating at the national level.Questioning the functioning of the state police, Randhawa alleged that ordinary citizens facing threats from gangsters often struggled to get police protection or arms licences, while families of gangsters involved in extortion and murders were allegedly receiving government security.He further blamed the rise in extortion and gangster activity in Punjab on the appointment of an ad hoc DGP, arguing that the state needed a permanent police chief to improve the law-and-order situation.
