Navjot Singh Sidhu’s ongoing choice in Punjab: First elected as the head of the election committee, now the DGP is also of his choice

Channi Sarkar has announced the name of the new DGP for Punjab. IPS officer Siddharth Chattopadhyay has been appointed as the new Director General of Police of Punjab in place of Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota. Chattopadhyay’s appointment is getting support from Punjab Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu. On the other hand, Sahota was supported by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Home Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa. Earlier, a panel of nine officers from the Union Public Service Commission was sent to shortlist the names for the post of DGP.

Sidhu is also said to have resigned from the post of Punjab Congress chief over the appointment of Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota as DGP. However, Sidhu later withdrew his resignation. Earlier, he had put a condition that the day a new Advocate General would be appointed and a panel would come from the UPSC to appoint a new Director General of Police, he would take over again.

The government notification confirming Chattopadhyay’s appointment said, “IPS officer Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota (1988, Punjab Cadre) has been made Special DGP Armed Battalion, Jalandhar. At the same time, Siddharth Chattopadhyay (1986 batch) is being appointed as the new DGP of the state, who will continue in this post till further orders. The orders will come into force with immediate effect.”