Punjab govt strengthens Badal's security cover for polls

Chandigarh, Jan 13: The Punjab government today ordered the strenghtening of the existing security cover of former state chief minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Prakash Singh Badal.

The decision has been taken in view of Mr Badal's increased mobility during the ongoing electioneering and some news reports published in the media regarding the Akali leaders security concerns, an official spokesman said here.

The government also took this decision following the apprehensions expressed by Mr Badal about his security, the spokesman added.

Mr Badal who is in the Z-security category is guarded by the elite National Security Guards (NSG) and the Punjab Police.A SP ranking officer of the state police is incharge of his security cover.

The spokesman said it was decided to depute one more NGO, two head constables and eight constables along with two additional security vehicles for the security of the former chief minister. Mr Badal already has two bullet proof vehicles in his convoy.

Mr Badal had yesterday accused chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh and SAD (1920) chief Ravi Inder Singh of hatching a conspiracy to eliminate him and his MP son Sukhbir Singh Badal during the election campaign in order to return to power. He had blamed the centre of being part of the conspiracy and demanded a CBI probe into the matter.

''I have specific information that Capt Singh along with Ravi Inder, who used the services of his party vice president Jasbir Singh Rode to smuggle RDX and other ammunition from across the border had hatched a conspiracy to kill me and Sukhbir. I was fortunate that the Punjab police acted in time and nabbed Paramjit Singh Dhaddi. Amolak Singh and Jaswinder Singh before they could execute their plan,'' Mr Badal had claimed.

The SAD chief said even the DGP S S Virk had admitted that there was imminent threat to important moderate leaders and he has definitely one of them.

Rode's brother Lakhbir Singh Rode, who is the chief of the International Sikh Youth Federation and was based in Pakistan had helped Dhaddi, Amolak and Jaswinder in smuggling RDX, he alleged.

According to Mr Badal, Dhaddi, an NRI based in UK had been roped in by Rode and Ravi Inder, who had offered to make him the Jalandhar chief of SAD(1920). Amolak was a SAD(1920) office bearer and Jaswinder is Rode's nephew and the two were arrested from Rode's house, he had said.

Quoting from the 'Open Secrets', penned by former Intelligence Bureau,joint director M K Dhar, Mr Badal had stated that Rode colluded with the intelligence agencies during the days of terrorism.

The SAD chief blamed the centre for being part of the conspiracy and said only a CBI probe would shed light on the episode.

UNI