JOIN USThe incident has now raised the hackles of the Punjab government with deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal ordering an inquiry into the episode.
The incident came to light on Tuesday when a lady head constable was assigned the job of distributing the “prasada” of Rs one lakh and 150 boxes of sweets given by the self-styled god man, or Baba, among her colleagues according to their rank.
The cops arrived at a fair distribution formula: Gazetted officers would get Rs 5,000 with a one kg box of sweets, non-gazetted officers would settle down for Rs 1,000 along with one kg box of sweets while lower rank officials, including constables, would settle for Rs 200 to Rs 300 and a half kg box of sweets. The Baba had ostensibly granted the “prasada” to cops in lieu of their services for providing security to him during his visit to Kotkapura. He had landed in Kotkapura last month and had cast a spell among curious devotees.
Senior political leaders of the region were among those who were fascinated by his magic cures which promised to remove physical and emotional ailments, though local doctors had contested his methods and claims.
Curiously, a senior district official found nothing wrong with the police personnel accepting cash as “prasada”. He argued that it was a voluntary donation by the Baba.
Meanwhile, Badal, while ordering an inquiry, said in a statement here that it was “unbecoming” on the part of any public servant to accept money. He has directed state DGP P S Gill to submit a detailed report.