Chandigarh: The Punjab-Haryana High Court has directed the State Election Commission to get the alleged leaked audio involving Patiala SSP Varun Sharma examined by an agency that is completely independent of the Punjab government. The court said all audio and video recordings submitted by the complainants should be reviewed by a neutral body to ensure a fair and unbiased investigation.
The decision came after a hearing on petitions filed by the Shiromani Akali Dal, BJP and Congress. The court had earlier instructed the State Election Commission to direct all SHOs to conduct the upcoming Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections without any influence or bias.
The High Court did not order a direct CFSL test but emphasized that an impartial agency outside the Punjab government should handle the inquiry. A day before the hearing, the Punjab government sent SSP Varun Sharma on a week-long leave and assigned Sangrur SSP Sartaj Singh Chehel the additional charge of Patiala. During the hearing, the State Election Commission confirmed to the Chief Justice that Sharma had indeed proceeded on leave.
The controversy erupted after Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal released an audio clip, claiming it was recorded during a Patiala police conference call. In the alleged clip, SSP Varun Sharma is heard instructing DSPs to intimidate Akali candidates during the nomination process. He is purportedly heard telling officers to snatch or tear nomination papers at the candidates’ homes, villages or on their way, while avoiding any disturbance at the nomination centres. Patiala Police had dismissed the clip at the time, calling it an AI-generated fake.
