Day after, ‘resignation letter’ of Punjab AG APS Deol surfaces

Chandigarh, November 2

Day after senior advocate APS Deol denied reports of his resignation by claiming “there was nothing of this sort”, the purported letter dated November 1 surfaced today.

The top law officer of the state, who had stated “neither is there any resignation, nor any talk about it”, in his letter addressed to Chief Minister the same day said: “On personal reasons, I hereby tendered (tender) my resignation from the post of Advocate General, Punjab, today, i.e. November 1, 2021.” Deol could not be reached for comment.

Sources in Deol’s office had claimed on Monday morning the senior advocate had handed over his resignation to the Chief Minister. Deol, however, refused to take phone calls amidst reports of his resignation.

The same evening, Deol claimed: “The speculation (on resignation) keeps going on. Sometimes some pressures are built, but there is nothing of the sort.”

Deol’s resignation letter, addressed to “dear”, came a month after his appointment and two ‘not-so-favorable’ developments for the Punjab Government before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Defending the appointment of senior advocate RS Bains as special public prosecutor for the politically-sensitive sacrilege matters, the state had told the High Court that “only regular public prosecutor will appear before the trial court till the next date of hearing”.

In another matter involving Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the Advocate General stated: “For the time being, permission be granted to the SIT to associate the petitioner (Gurmeet) in the investigation of FIR No. 63 dated June 2, 2015, Bajakhana police station, by visiting Sunaria Jail, Rohtak, where the petitioner is confined.” The dera chief had moved the court after a Faridkot court issued his production warrants in a sacrilege related matter.

Deol was appointed after the post fell vacant following Atul Nanda’s resignation soon after Capt Amarinder Singh stepped down as the Chief Minister. His appointment had triggered a debate as he was, at one point, the counsel for former top cop Sumedh Singh Saini and suspended IG Paramraj Singh Umaranangal, both accused in the Behbal Kalan police firing case.

Finding new AG

Sources in the CM’s camp said the AG submitted his resignation after the government principally decided to replace him. The replacement has to be finalised before Doel’s resignation is accepted and forwarded to the Punjab Governor. The CM could not be reached for comment.