Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s media advisor Harcharan Bains, who is the chairman of the panel having the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police as members, said the complaint will be discussed at the panel meeting for initiating appropriate action in the case.

This announcement comes soon after Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had ordered a probe into the matter on February 2. Sukhbir, who also holds the Information and Public Relations portfolio, had asked Director, Information and Public Relations (DIPR) Gagandeep Singh Brar to hold an inquiry and submit a report at the earliest. Badal had assured of stern action against any official found guilty in the case.

However, Brar revealed on Saturday that the case has been referred to the government’s media panel.

The trouble had arisen during the election of vice-presidents of Mohali Municipal Council, when the SDM denied entry to the scribes while others were allowed inside. As the journalists, detained outside the meeting hall, objected to the entry of several other persons in the meeting hall, a group of persons, who the scribes alleged were supporters of Capt Kanwaljit and his son, attacked them.

While most of the scribes escaped, two of them — Darshan Singh Sodhi and Kuldeep Singh — were trapped and faced the wrath of the assailants.