SeniorIPS officer Harpreet Singh Sidhu, who was on a six month’s study leave topursue his fellowship programme in University of Virginia, US, has reportedlyreturned and will once again take charge as the chief of Punjab’s anti-drugSpecial Task Force (STF).
Asper Punjab government order dated June 30 (the copy of which is in possessionof the TrueScoop), Sidhu has been posted as ADGP STF, relieving 1994-batch IPSofficer B Chandra Sekhar from the additional charge assigned to him. Sekhar wasgiven the additional charge of heading the STF on December 12, 2020, during the“tenure of study/earner leave of the officer (Harpreet Sidhu)”.
SeniorIPS officer Harpreet Singh Sidhu in 2019, was given back the charge ofanti-drug Special Task Force (STF) chief, nearly a year after he was removedfrom the post following reports of a tussle between him and the then DGP.
Aftercoming to power in 2017, CM Captain Amarinder Singh had set up the STF tocombat drug menace in the state. He had especially brought Harpreet Sidhu, whowas at that time on central deputation in the Naxal-hit Chhattisgarh, to headthe STF.
IPSHarpreet Sidhu has been instrumental in busting various drug hauls in the pastfew years and wiping out drug peddlers from the state. A big haul of nearly 200kg of heroin, valued at around Rs 1,200 crore, from a house in Punjab'sSultanwind village near Amritsar, was seized by the STF led by Harpreet SinghSidhu, is till date one of biggest recoveries in Punjab.
Heis now again all set to head the STF at a time when Punjab is heading forAssembly elections early next year and the state government is reeling underpressure from Congress High Command and opposition to act against drug mafia.