Punjab today became the first State in the country to separate investigation functions from law and order duties with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal launching this historic initiative by establishing a Bureau of Investigation (BoI) to bring all investigation staff in different units under a unified command. At a function at the police headquarters here along with Director General of Police Sumedh Singh Saini, the Deputy chief minister said the new wing would be responsible for investigations right from the police station to the district and even the headquarters here. "Separate staff has been earmarked for investigations at all three levels", he said adding the new wing would ensure professional and time-bound investigations. He said this staff would not be diverted for any other purpose.
Mr Badal disclosed that the BoI would initially have 7,772 personnel in its rolls.
He said the investigation staff at Police Station level would comprise of Investigation Units, Pairvi Units and Women Staff and would work under In-Charge Investigation. Meanwhile DGP Mr Sumedh Singh Saini disclosed that district and commissionerate level wings would comprise of CIA staff, EOW, Crime Against Women wing, Police Station, DCRB and district legal support unit. It will be headed by Superintendent of Police/ Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Investigation. He said similarly at the State Headquarters, the new wing would comprise of BoI Hqrs (earlier Crime Wing), Zonal Offices, State Cyber Crime PS, State Crime Branch PS, EOW and SCRB.
The DGP disclosed that in the latest cadre review, the post of ADGP Crime had been proposed for abolition and new post of Director, Bureau of Investigation was being created.
He said similarly separate rooms had been earmarked for investigation staff at Police stations and an amount of Rs 8 Crore had been spent on renovation of Police Stations, purchase of Investigation Officers Kits and construction of ladies toilets. He said vehicles and IO kits had also been made available to the investigation wing so that it could commence its work independently. Mr Saini disclosed that the new wing would also be equipped with mobile forensic evidence collection units, regional FSLs, modern cyber crime unit, modern interview rooms as well as modern Women police stations in all districts. He said these measures would result in this wing becoming a specialized wing of the Punjab Police.