An operation conducted by the Shahkot police has come under a cloud of suspicion; consequently, the department has taken strict action, sending three police personnel—including the Station House Officer (SHO)—to the District Lines. This information was disclosed by SSP Harvinder Singh Virk. After a preliminary departmental inquiry found the allegations to be prima facie credible, the police administration took decisive steps and transferred the concerned employees to the District Lines with immediate effect. A thorough investigation into the matter is currently underway, and departmental action will be initiated against anyone found guilty during the course of the ongoing inquiry. According to reports, on April 9, Case No. 90 was registered at the Shahkot Police Station under the Excise Act against an individual named Akram, alleging the recovery of 35 liters of *Lahan* (illicit liquor wash) from his residence. Following this operation, CCTV footage went viral on social media, showing police personnel themselves unloading a drum (container) from a vehicle, carrying it inside the accused’s house, and subsequently bringing the very same drum back out.
During preliminary questioning, the personnel claimed that it is often necessary to procure an external container to facilitate the recovery of *Lahan*, and that this specific drum had been taken inside solely for the purpose of the recovery operation. However, the CCTV footage has conclusively proven this claim by the police to be false. The footage depicts a police team arriving in a silver-colored EcoSport car, transporting a blue-colored drum. The drum was evidently not empty, as it required two individuals to carry it. A total of seven police officials were captured on camera: four in uniform and three in plain clothes. The entire operation—from the alleged recovery of the illicit liquor to the sealing and removal of the drum—was recorded within a span of just 13 minutes. Curiously, the accused, Akram, was not present at his home at the time the operation was conducted. Furthermore, a pertinent question arises: given that no weighing scale was utilized throughout the entire 13-minute operation, how did the police determine that the drum contained exactly 35 liters of liquor? However, in light of the damage caused to the police’s reputation following the viral spread of the video, orders have been issued for an impartial inquiry.
**Action Against Personnel and High-Level Investigation**
In connection with this case, SHO Inspector Balwinder Singh, ASI Sukhwinder Singh, and Lady Constable Havanpreet Kaur have been sent to the police lines with immediate effect. The responsibility for conducting a thorough investigation into the entire matter has been entrusted to SP (Investigation) Vineet Lahawat (IPS). Officials have made it clear that if any personnel are found guilty, legal action will be initiated against them. According to local villagers, Akram is a daily-wage laborer and a political activist. Two cases had been registered against him: one involving physical assault and the other pertaining to religious sentiments. The villagers state that they are at a loss to understand why the police sought to frame him.
This case has also sparked a debate within political circles. Senior leader Bikram Singh Majithia took to Twitter to raise questions, alleging that the police themselves fabricate cases. On the other hand, police officials maintain that the individual against whom the case has been registered possesses a background linked to criminal activity and excise-related offenses.
