New Delhi, Feb 20 (IANS) The Delhi Assembly Secretariat was on Friday told by the Punjab Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Alok Shekhar and the state police Chief Gaurav Yadav that their replies related to the FIR registered regarding the video clip of alleged remarks of city’s Leader of Opposition Atishi are being vetted by their state government.
In the interim, draft copies of their replies, sent for vetting to the Punjab Home department, were forwarded to Delhi Assembly Secretariat, an official said.
The Punjab government officials’ replies are likely to be placed before the Committee of Privileges of the Delhi Assembly for consideration after these are formally sent to the Assembly Secretary by the Home department of that state.
Since the FIR was registered in the matter in Jalandhar, the District Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur has also forwarded a copy of his reply to the Delhi Assembly, through the state police chief, pending “approval of the competent authority in the Punjab government”.
The Privileges Committee of Delhi Assembly on February 13 had given a last chance to Punjab officials and directed the Punjab Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and the state police chief to submit their replies by Friday.
The Committee had called for specific documents from the Punjab Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Alok Shekhar, including copies of the complaint and enclosures forming the basis of the FIR, the FIR itself, the report of the Social Media Expert (Technical Cell), Punjab Police, and the report of Forensic Science Laboratory in Punjab.
The FIR was registered by the Jalandhar Police on January 9 over a complaint that alleged circulation of a “doctored” version of a video clip related to Atishi’s statement in the Delhi Assembly, which was perceived as objectionable and disrespectful towards Sikh Gurus.
The Delhi Assembly Secretariat, through letters dated February 5 and February 13, told the Punjab government and police officials that their replies and documents were required to be submitted within the stipulated time for consideration by the Committee in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, failing which the same may be treated as constituting a breach of privilege and contempt.
Earlier, while seeking more time to respond, the Office of the Punjab Home Affairs Department’s Additional Chief Secretary, on February 12, said that prior to the Delhi Assembly Secretariat’s communication on February 5, no direct communication had been received by the department in the matter.
The Punjab government’s letter said that comments from the Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, the Jalandhar Commissioner of Police Dhanpreet Kaur, and the Director of the Forensic Science Laboratory in Punjab Ashwani Kalia, have been forwarded to the relevant offices in Delhi.
It was also noted that a comprehensive, formal consolidated reply is being finalised and has been submitted for approval by the competent authority.
The matter pertains to complaints of breach of privilege and contempt arising from statements made on the floor of the House and the subsequent action initiated by the Punjab Police.
The Committee of Privileges is presently examining the matter, including the conduct of the authorities and the handling of communications and information sought by the Delhi Assembly Secretariat.
–IANS
rch/khz