Chandigarh/Patiala, Dec. 11 -- Taking a serious note of an audio clip, purportedly of a conversation between the Patiala SSP and other police officers, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday asked the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government and the State Election Commission (SEC) to get it examined from the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory (CFSL) in Chandigarh. The audio clip was shared on social media a few days ago by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, claiming that Patiala SSP Varun Sharma and other police officers had conspired to prevent opposition candidates from filing nominations for the December 14 zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls at the behest of the ruling AAP. During the hearing, the SEC told the court that the SSP has proceeded on leave till the culmination of the poll process and an additional charge has been given to Sangrur SSP Sartaj Chahal. The court was hearing a clutch of public interest litigations by Punjab leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa of the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Daljit Singh Cheema. Both had sought an independent probe into the audio-clip controversy and also alleged opposition candidates were prevented from filing their nomination papers to ensure victory of candidates belonging to ruling AAP. The SEC told the court that SAD leaders, including Badal, were sent notices several times to join the investigation into the audio clip case, which is being probed by an ADGP-level officer. However, they have not appeared, except one, Arshdeep Singh Kler. The probe can't proceed unless original devices are provided. However, the clip submitted by Kler has been sent for examination by a Mohali-based government forensic laboratory, SEC submitted, adding that a probe is still underway. Punjab advocate general MS Bedi reiterated state's objection to the PIL, terming it a "political interest litigation" and said that it was not maintainable. The lawyers for the petitioners claimed that instead of the officers involved, people who had "exposed the working of senior officers" are being questioned. They said they have no confidence in the state's laboratory and probe of the Punjab Police. Hence, the case be sent to an independent agency and audio-clip be sent for examination by the Chandigarh CFSL. They also demanded that eight officers to whom the SSP was passing on the instructions should be disassociated with the poll process. "Voice samples of the officers have not been taken to establish whether the clip is genuine or not. Their devices needed to be seized, which have not been done so far and police are summoning the complainant to find out the source of the video," senior advocate APS Deol said, questioning the manner in which the probe is being conducted. The court had a tough time in pacifying the agitated counsels and had to intervene on several occasions as both sides were arguing at the same time. While concluding the hearing the court questioned the SEC why general directions were not issued for officers and general public for fair and impartial polls in the wake of the audio clip. The court directed the SEC to issue general directions for free and fair polls and orally said that it would pass directions for sending the audio-clip for examination by CFSL, Chandigarh. The detailed order is awaited. Earlier, SSP Varun Sharma proceeded on a week-long leave. Sharma was told to proceed on leave on Tuesday evening ahead of the high court hearing, said officials in know of the matter. Though Sharma applied for leave from December 10 to 15 citing family commitments, the timing coincides with the controversy. SSP Sharma, on his part, has maintained that the video and audio being shared online are "fake AI-generated content", created "with malicious intent to mislead the public and disturb law and order". A case has been registered under the Information Technology Act at the cyber cell police station, alleging digital manipulation and forgery. After the court order, Badal said Patiala SSP's leave proved that he was stopping opposition candidates from filing nominations. It also proved, he alleged, that it was the police officer who, in an audio clip, was heard directing police to stop the candidates from reaching the nomination centres. The elections for 22 zila parishads and 153 block samitis are scheduled for December 14, while counting will be held on December 17. The last date for filing nominations was December 4, which saw complaints of snatching of nomination papers in Patiala district and other areas....