Navjot Singh Sidhu had his way with the Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, who declared this Tuesday that the state had accepted attorney general APS Deol’s resignation. After a state cabinet meeting, Channi, caving into the pressure from state unit chairman Navjot Singh Sidhu, announced to remove advocate general APS Deol. Channi stated that the state government has given the names of all (IPS) officials with more than 30-year careers and that the central government will provide a panel of candidates to replace. “We will appoint the DGP from that panel,” he stated.
For nearly a month, Sidhu and Channi had a heated standoff over Deol’s nomination as attorney general and IPS officer Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota’s appointment as DGP. As a lawyer, Deol defended Sumedh Singh Saini, the state police chief at the sacrilege event and police fire on protestors six years ago. For this reason, the Punjab Congress chairman was dead against Deol’s appointment and insisted on his removal.
Also, know that APS Deol resigns as Punjab advocate general
Sidhu had retired from his role six weeks prior. He later clarified that these senior appointments were a factor in his decision. While withdrawing his resignation last week, he stated that Deol’s removal was necessary for him to resume his duties. Although Deol offered his resignation on November 1st, it was only approved after Sidhu slammed the AG and DGP again in a press conference, urging the state government to “(either) choose the compromised officers or the PPCC chief.”
Following the discussion, cabinet minister Raj Kumar Verka stated, “if there is a need to replace any officer, it will be done.” Last week, Deol accused Sidhu of hindering the state government and the Attorney General’s office and distributing false information to gain an advantage over his political opponents. In a statement, he stated, “Sidhu’s repeated utterances seek to derail the earnest efforts of the Punjab government to ensure justice in the “drugs matter and sacrilege case.” Deol’s departure marks the PPCC chief’s first victory in the Channi government.
