CHANDIGARH: Sukhpal Singh Khaira MLA from Bholath has complained against officials of Enforcement Directorate for violations of COVID-19 Standard operating Procedure while raiding his residential premises at House no. 6 Sector 5, Chandigarh;
In a complaint sent to SSP Chandigarh, Khaira said violation of Covid protocole that has resulted in one of my PSO ASI Onkar Singh (272 KPT) being infected by COVID-19 (Copy of report attached).
Khaira stated that his residence at House no 6 Sector 5, Chandigarh, ancestral residence at Village Ramgarh District Kapurthala, residence of his son in laws in Delhi were raided by a team Directorate of Enforcement officials (hereinafter referred to as ED) headed by Ms. Neha Yadav Deputy Director ED on 9.03.2021 at 8 am. "I wish to bring on record that the team comprising of about 25-30 policemen checked hundreds of my home items including cupboards, drawers, suitcases etc and also used my office computer for multiple hours and while doing so they touched all our door handles, keys etc that can easily contaminate and pass on the deadly COVID-19 virus onto my family and my staff very easily. These facts I specifically conveyed to miss Neha Yadav, Deputy Director, Directorate of Enforcement at the beginning of the raid on 9.03.2021 at my residence".
He further said that he had reason to be alarmed on this account because one of his PSO ASI Onkar Singh 272 KPT has tested positive on 12.03.2021 after the raid conducted at my ancestral residence at Village Ramgarh, District Kapurthala. The above mentioned ASI Onkar Singh was part and parcel of the raid conducted at my village on 9.03.2021. While assisting the ED team he also served lunch to the ED team due to which he may have probably contacted the virus from some members of the ED, team as no member of the raiding team took the necessary protection/precaution as required under the COVID-19 norms and Standard Operating Procedures that include wearing masks, gloves, social distancing etc.
Khaira also added that none of the members of the raiding ED teams, at his residential premises in Chandigarh, Village Ramgarh District Kapurthala, produced mandatory negative tests certificates before commencement of raids at the said places. The above mentioned facts can be corroborated in the videos recorded by the ED teams as well as through media reports of raids.
Furthermore, it is pertinent to mention that the said COVID-19 infected ASI Onkar Singh intermingled my entire family and my staff that include Manish Kumar PA, my son, wife, daughter, daughter in law and others. As per COVID-19 SOP any person who has contacted any COVID-19 positive person needs to be tested after 5 days of sampling of the said affected person. Therefore in this case we all, meaning my family members and my staff would be taking a COVID-19 test on 18.03.2021 as ASI Onkar Singh tested positive on 12.03.2021.
Khaira said in his complaint that Mrs. Simmer Khaira Johal, his daughter, who is in the ninth month of her pregnancy was also present at his Chandigarh home during the said raid. Her cell phone was taken away from her during the search, touched many times by the raiding staff and ultimately handed back to her at the end of the raid which can very easily transmit COVID-19 infection and endanger not only her life but also the life of the unborn child. Apart from her cell phone, her room, the clothes prepared and other item prepared for the would be new born baby that were washed and sanitized were also checked and repeatedly touched and ruffled up, clearly endangering her and her unborn child’s lives.
Similarly during the raid at the Delhi residence of his son in law Inderveer Singh Johal the ED team without taking the above said precaution committed all the violations of COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures endangering the lives of my son in-laws newly born niece and nephew and their mother. The ED raiding team at Delhi did not even spare the kitchen area where they played havoc with the utensils and other eatable items that can very easily spread COVID-19.
Khaira requested the SSP that an FIR for violating the COVID-19 norms and SOP's be registered against all members of the ED raiding teams at Chandigarh without any further delay, so that agency does not further endanger the lives of other citizens during such raids.