The Punjab DGP today said "vested interests" were trying to erode the credibility and morale of the police by launching a "malicious and baseless" campaign against him and other top officers of the force.
To counter the "vile and vicious attack" on his integrity and credibility, Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora said in his career spanning over 36 years, he had never supported any police officer involved in any criminal or corrupt activity.
While refusing to comment on the specific allegations that had been made before the high court, the DGP said he had been forced to break his silence on certain issues as he felt that the various aspersions on his character and official conduct were not only an attack on his unblemished reputation but were also affecting the morale of the police force.
"My integrity and hard work of over 35 years is being brought under a cloud by certain vested interests perhaps for personal gains as well as other ulterior motives. I want to tell those people that I will do whatever is required to strongly defend my name and reputation and also that of my force, and I would explore all legal options in this regard," the DGP asserted in a statement here.
The "half-baked" accusations being published, highlighted and circulated by "vested interests" for furtherance of their objectives also had direct and serious implications for national security, Arora said, adding that this became even more pertinent in view of the fact that Punjab shared a border with a neighbouring country constantly trying to cause disruption, insurrection and destabilisation in the state as well as the Indian nation-state.
The DGP pointed out that he had served as SSP in many districts during difficult times, including as SSP Amritsar during 'Operation Black thunder'.
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Even as he came out in his own defence, the DGP made it clear that he would continue to scrupulously avoid either favouring or targeting any officer of the force.
While nobody is above the law, it is imperative to protect officers against "vague and unsubstantiated" allegations, as well as against unconfirmed and unverified insinuations, the DGP said, adding that the officers were discharging their responsibilities at grave threats to their lives and those of their family members from terrorist outfits.
Asked specifically about former Moga SSP Raj Jit Singh, Arora said he had never worked with the officer.
He denied that the SSP was his blue-eyed boy and made it clear that if the officer was found to be involved in any criminal activity, he would have to face consequences under the law.
Notably, SSP Raj Jit's name had cropped up in a drug case involving dismissed Inspector Inderjit Singh.
Moreover, DGP (HRD) Siddhartha Chattopadhyaya had accused DGP Arora and DGP (Intelligence) Dinkar Gupta of "targeting" him in order to "disable" him from conducting an inquiry into the complicity of SSP Raj Jit Singh and Inspector Inderjit Singh in a drug trafficking case.