Bathinda: Baghapurana sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Babandeep Singh Walia has been transferred to Fazilka as chief minister’s field officer against a vacant post.The move comes three days after his March 22 letter to the Punjab chief secretary alleging harassment and intimidation by Moga deputy commissioner Sagar Setia for declaring the results of the March 17 block samiti elections. The results had remained incomplete due to a poor law and order situation. On March 24, Punjab and Haryana high court ordered fresh elections on a petition filed by 15 members of the Baghapurana block samiti alleging irregularities. The court showed its displeasure over the surfacing of the letter in public domain, observing that the officer has the right to take up the matter with the chief secretary, but the letter should not have been uploaded on social media. Walia, a 2016 batch Punjab civil services (PCS) officer, had demanded to be transferred out of Moga apart from security and sought a month’s leave in his letter to the chief secretary. MSID:: 129821321 413 |
