Amritsar: Police on Tuesday arrested a man who allegedly posed as Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh and later as an official from his office to intimidate and illegally influence a senior govt doctor.The impersonator turned out to be Harjit Singh (57), who is educated up to Class V and works as a driver.
Amritsar police commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that according to the complaint, the Amritsar senior medical officer (SMO) received a phone call in which the caller initially introduced himself as Dr Balbir Singh, Punjab health minister, and made a series of intimidating and abusive remarks, alleging large-scale mismanagement at Amritsar civil hospital. The caller attempted to directly interfere in official functioning by issuing illegal instructions, including the removal of certain staff members, pressurising the SMO to retain particular individuals in specific posts, and making derogatory comments against hospital employees. When the SMO questioned the caller’s identity, the person changed his version and claimed to be Gurjeet Singh from the office of the health minister, continuing to assert false authority and mentally harass the officer, it was alleged.Alarmed by the intimidation, the SMO reported the matter to the civil surgeon, Amritsar, who took it up with the minister, who categorically denied issuing any such call or directions and instructed officials to initiate immediate legal action against the impersonator.He said after the investigation, police arrested Harjit, a resident of Gurbaksh Nagar in Amritsar, on Tuesday.
