Padiana (Adampur), September 11: Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today justified the arrest of former DGP S.S. Virk, saying it was as per the law, but remained non-committal over action against other police officers who had played a role in rehabilitating other terrorists-turned-police cats. DGP Virk had stirred a hornet’s nest when he had revealed in a press conference last year that nearly 300 terrorists were rehabilitated by the police.

The first question put to Badal at a press conference here was whether other officers would face a similar fate as Virk, who has been booked for harbouring an offender (Sukhi) and framing incorrect records or writing with an intention to save a person from punishment. The CM replied that the Virk matter was under investigation and his comments would influence the inquiry by the Vigilance Bureau.

But when mediapersons persisted that the matter of 300 police cats was not under investigation anywhere in the state, Badal got irritated and said, “If I reply, you will try to dig for some more information. Agge hi vare puare pae hoe ne, hor kyon pawana chanhnde ho (the state is already facing many controversies, why do you want to create more).”

On Virk’s arrest, he said everything was being done under the law and law will take its own course. On asking that at one point of time he (Badal) had himself recommended the Centre to shift Virk from Maharashtra cadre to Punjab, Badal said everyone is equal before the law.

On asking why Sukhi’s case was not handed over to the JP Birdi Committee, which has been investigating the four cases of “dead terrorists” who came alive in recent revelations, the Chief Minister again evaded the issue.