SSP Vigilance Suspended Amid Allegations of Fabricating Summons to Aid Congress Leader Bharat Bhushan Ashu

Chandigarh, June 6, 2025 — In a dramatic twist ahead of the Ludhiana West bypolls, the Punjab government has suspended the SSP Vigilance officer who issued a summons to Congress leader Bharat Bhushan Ashu. The development has raised serious questions about the authenticity and motive behind the notice, which has now been nullified. Ashu will no longer need to appear before the Vigilance Bureau today.

According to government sources, an internal probe revealed that the summons may have been orchestrated by Ashu himself to generate public sympathy ahead of the crucial by-election. Allegedly, there was direct communication between Ashu and the SSP Vigilance officer, with sources indicating that the two shared a longstanding association. Ashu is also believed to have played a role in the officer’s elevation to DSP rank in the past.

What has further fueled the controversy is a reported secret meeting between the two just days before the election announcement. Following that meeting, the summons was allegedly prepared and issued overnight, bypassing standard procedures and without any formal order from higher authorities.

The state government acted swiftly after the irregularities came to light, suspending the officer and launching a wider inquiry into potential misuse of official machinery for political gain. Political observers view the incident as an attempt to manipulate public perception during the volatile pre-poll period.

The incident has sparked a wave of political reactions, with opposition parties accusing the Congress of engineering drama, while Ashu’s camp has remained tight-lipped in the aftermath of the suspension.