CHANDIGARH: The centre government has not replied to a communication by Punjab government, sent on Sunday, protesting against centre's nod to S.S. Virk, a 1970-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Maharashtra cadre, to join in his parent state without the consent of state administration.

Punjab government had refused to relieve Virk on the ground that officer has been suspended and chargesheeted in a land grab case.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had held a meeting with Chief Secretary and Home Secretary following reports of Virk joining his parent state without informing state government.

The Badal government has shot off a letter to the central home secretary, saying that allowing Virk to go to Maharashtra when he faces disciplinary action and has not been relieved by the Punjab government was unfair.

The Punjab government communication says: 'Virk was involved in benami land transaction in serious violation of the all-India service (conduct) rules. When the property transaction came to the notice of the state government, he was placed under suspension and due intimation was given to the central government. A charge sheet has since been issued to him.

'However, we have come to learn that Virk has reported for duty to the government of Maharashtra. Virk was placed under suspension by the Punjab government. As he is already under suspension, there is no basis to permit him to join in any other office.'

Virk who enjoyed the confidence of former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had writtren to centre government to allow him to join in Maharashtra fearing that he may be implicated in false cases. His current deputation with Punjab ends on May 15.

The top cop was removed from the post of director general of police (DGP) of Punjab by the Election Commission in January on February 2 ten days before assembly polls, following complaints that he was biased towards the Congress. The officer, who hails from Punjab, had come on deputation to the state during the peak of terrorism in Punjab in the 1980s.

The centre had opposed any further extension to Virk and was all set to take disciplinary action against him. However, then chief minister Amarinder Singh held his ground and did not relieve the officer and made him DGP. At one point of time Virk even tried to change his cadre to Punjab but didn't succeed.