Punjab: Tarn Taran administration marks probe into dope tests of 23 cops

Tarn Taran: The administration here has marked an inquiry into the 23 negative dope test results of suspected drug addict policemen who got their tests conducted from the district civil hospital after 14 of them tested positive when their dope tests were re-conducted in the Amritsar civil hospital.

Tarn Taran civil surgeon Anoop Kumar told TOI on Tuesday that he was yet to investigate whether a team of policemen got their tests conducted from the civil hospital or not.

He said there was no record or details of the policemen undergoing tests in the civil hospital. People who apply for arms licences get their dope tests done but in case of dope test by any other department, there was a set procedure. “The department concerned first sends us a list of all persons who will undergo dope tests. But we have no such list from any department in our records,” the civil surgeon said.

He said he had constituted a team of three senior doctors to conduct an inquiry and submit report.

Dope tests of 23 suspected drug addict policemen of the district were conducted in the Tarn Taran civil hospital. All tested negative, which raised suspicion among senior police officials, who directed them to undergo another dope test from the Amritsar civil hospital, where 14 of the 23 policemen tested positive. After that, Tarn Taran police department sought an inquiry from the DC.

Explaining that if a person didn’t take any drug for a week or 10 days he would test negative since any residual drug drains out of the body, but if a person consumed a drug and undergoes the test next day, the result would be positive. “If the tests had to be conducted in two different hospitals then the urine samples should have been taken on the same day,” Kumar said.

Meanwhile, Tarn Taran DC Pardeep Sabharwal said he had marked an inquiry and sought the report within 15 days. “But we will not confine ourselves to dope tests of policemen only, but will consider all dope tests conducted in the hospital and will take a stern action if any discrepancy is found,” said Pardeep.

Sources said two policemen, including an ASI and a head constable, had been suspended while a departmental inquiry had been initiated against the 12 police personnel. Tarn Taran SSP Dhruv Dahiya couldn’t be contacted for comments.