FAZILKA, May 28 — The Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government on Wednesday suspended Fazilka’s senior superintendent of police (SSP), Varinderpal Singh Brar, following corruption charges involving officers under his command. The suspension took immediate effect, though no official reason was cited.
According to government sources, the move stemmed from Brar’s failure to address corruption in the border district. The action came a day after the state vigilance bureau arrested four police personnel, including the station house officer (SHO) of Fazilka’s cyber crime police station, for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹1 lakh in a case related to a confiscated mobile phone.
The arrests followed a complaint from Dharminder Singh, whose 17-year-old son’s phone had been seized after a cyber-related complaint. Despite multiple attempts by the family to retrieve the device legally, they were allegedly coerced into paying the bribe to settle the matter.
“The family first reached out to the SSP but no steps were taken, which eventually forced them to approach the chief minister,” a senior official familiar with the matter said. “The chief minister ordered swift action, leading to the arrests.”
The arrested officers included the SHO, a reader, and two constables. Their detention is part of a broader crackdown on graft in the state’s police machinery.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, addressing the public after the arrests, reinforced his administration’s stance on rooting out corruption at all levels. “Whether it’s a politician or an officer, no one involved in this heinous crime against humanity will be spared,” Mann said. “This government does not believe in pick and choose. Our fight against corruption is uncompromising.”
Mann also referred to the recent arrest of Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Jalandhar Central, Raman Arora, as further evidence of his government’s commitment to accountability.
