Photo Source: Babushahi Network
Sukhpal Khaira files complaint against ED officials, seeks FIR for violating Covid-19 norms
Chandigarh, March 14, 2021: Punjab AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira whose residence was raided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) team last week, has filed a police complaint against the latter and demanded the FIR be registered against the financial investigation agency officials.
In a complaint addressed to SSP Kapurthala and Chandigarh, Bholath MLA has demanded registration of FIR against ED officials for raiding his premises without any precaution and following SOP norms laid down for Covid-19.
"My residence at House no 6 Sector 5 Chandigarh Chandigarh, my ancestral residence at Village Ramgarh District Kapurthala, my son in laws residence in Delhi were raided by a team Directorate of Enforcement officials (hereinafter referred to as ED) headed by Ms. Neha Yadav Deputy Director ED on March 9 at 8 am. I wish to bring on record that the team comprising of about 25-30 policemen checked hundreds of my home items including cupboards, drawers, suitcases, etc and also used my office computer for multiple hours and while doing so they touched all our door handles, keys, etc that can easily contaminate and pass on the deadly COVID-19 virus onto my family and my staff very easily. These facts I specifically conveyed to miss Neha Yadav, Deputy Director, Directorate of Enforcement at the beginning of the raid on March 9 at my residence," the AAP leader stated in his complaint.
"I have reason to be alarmed on this account because one of my PSO ASI Onkar Singh 272 KPT has tested positive on 12.03.2021(COVID-19 report attached) after the raid conducted at my ancestral residence at Village Ramgarh, District Kapurthala. The abovementioned ASI Onkar Singh was part and parcel of the raid conducted at my village on 9.03.2021. While assisting the ED team he also served lunch to the ED team due to which he may have probably contracted the virus from some members of the ED, the team as no member of the raiding team took the necessary protection/precaution as required under the COVID-19 norms and Standard Operating Procedures that include wearing masks, gloves, social distancing, etc. I also wish to bring on record that none of the members of the raiding ED teams, at my residential premises in Chandigarh, Village Ramgarh District Kapurthala, produced mandatory negative test certificates before the commencement of raids at the said places. The abovementioned facts can be corroborated in the videos recorded by the ED teams as well as through media reports of raids," he added.
He stated that ASI Onkar Singh had intermingled with his entire family. Khaira said that since as per Covid-19 norms any person who has Covid-19 person needs to be tested after 5 days of sampling of the said person, all his family members including his staff will be taking the Covid-19 test on March 18.
"I also wish to bring on record that Mrs. Simmer Khaira Johal, my daughter, who is in the ninth month of her pregnancy was also present at my Chandigarh home during the said raid. Her cell phone was taken away from her during the search, touched many times by the raiding staff, and ultimately handed back to her at the end of the raid which can very easily transmit COVID-19 infection and endanger not only her life but also the life of the unborn child. Apart from her cell phone, her room, the clothes prepared, and other items prepared for the would-be newborn baby that was washed and sanitized were also checked and repeatedly touched and ruffled up, clearly endangering her and her unborn child’s lives. Similarly, during the raid at the Delhi residence of my son in law Inderveer Singh Johal, the ED team without taking the above-said precaution committed all the violations of COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures endangering the lives of my sons-in-law newly born niece and nephew and their mother. The ED raiding team at Delhi did not even spare the kitchen area where they played havoc with the utensils and other eatable items that can very easily spread COVID-19," he further wrote in the complaint.