Chandigarh: Punjab Police Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav on Monday defended the registration of an FIR by Jalandhar police in connection with the controversy surrounding a viral video clip of former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, asserting that all legal protocols were duly followed. This marked the first official response from the Punjab Police on the matter.
Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, the DGP clarified that the case was registered strictly on the basis of evidence and procedural requirements. However, he chose not to respond to questions related to the privilege notice issued by the Delhi Assembly to him and other senior officers over the same FIR.
The DGP was briefing the media primarily on a major breakthrough in the murder of Valtoha sarpanch Jarmal Singh, a case in which Punjab Police have arrested seven accused so far. He said two of the shooters were apprehended from Raipur in Chhattisgarh with the help of local law enforcement, while the remaining five suspects were arrested from different locations in Mohali and Tarn Taran districts. The arrests, he added, were made through coordinated efforts involving central agencies and police forces from multiple states.
Jarmal Singh, who was affiliated with the Aam Aadmi Party, was shot dead on January 4 while attending a wedding at the Mary Gold Resort in Amritsar. Surveillance footage from the venue captured two men approaching him from behind, firing at close range and fleeing immediately. Singh later died in hospital due to his injuries.
Investigators have since concluded that the killing was planned by handlers operating from outside the country, who arranged financial support, weapons and logistical assistance. Shortly after the murder, foreign-based gangsters, including Prabh Dasuwal, claimed responsibility through online posts, alleging that Singh had narrowly escaped several earlier attempts on his life.
One of the alleged masterminds, Harnoor Singh alias Noor, was killed in an encounter with police in Tarn Taran days after the incident.
DGP Yadav said those arrested are being subjected to sustained questioning to identify the full network behind the crime, including funding routes and arms supply chains. He reiterated that Punjab Police have launched a focused campaign against organised crime and stressed that offenders would be pursued regardless of whether they are operating within India or from abroad.
The press interaction came at a time when police actions are under scrutiny over an FIR registered on January 9, 2024, by Jalandhar police concerning a viral video of Atishi. Following a forensic analysis, the clip—circulated online by Delhi BJP leader Kapil Mishra—was described by police as manipulated and misleading, allegedly edited to falsely link derogatory remarks to Sikh religious figures.
While the FIR names unknown individuals for spreading the edited video with the intention of provoking sentiments, the Delhi Assembly has objected to the police action, terming it a breach of legislative privilege. Notices have been issued to DGP Yadav, the Jalandhar Commissioner of Police and the Special DGP (Cyber Cell), seeking their replies by January 12.
