In August last year, the Operations Cell of the Chandigarh police had asked for records of the ration card procured by Swaroop, in which he had claimed Gurbhej is his cousin. In response, the Food and Civil Supplies department said they did not have the records at the time.

In these six months, the Food and Civil Supplies department and Operations Cell officials were reportedly involved in a futile exercise of exchanging letters between themselves. “How could these two departments keep shuttling letters over such a sensitive issue? We seem to have failed even after getting the information,” said an officer with the Chandigarh police.

The information with the Operations Cell was later passed on to the different crime investigating cells and the respective station house officers for taking necessary action. While the junior officers claimed to have been developing leads in the case, they failed to explain the delay. Superintendent of Police (Operations) R S Ghumman said he is looking into the matter. “The police need to respond quickly and develop information as soon as possible,” he added.

Gurbhej Singh alias Sonu, a resident of Kathunangal in Amritsar, was arrested in June 2008 in Jagraon with 24.5 kg of explosives and 25 detonators. Swaroop is alleged to have kept Gurbhej in the Sector-38 gurdwara for nearly two years during which he assisted him in procuring two passports on fake documents. Gurbhej is lodged in the Ludhiana jail at present.

Senior officers with the Chandigarh police said they will find the officers guilty of the lapse and the matter will be taken up with the IGP to initiate action against those responsible.