Two days ago, a section of the gathering had openly raised slogans in favour of Bedi and against the Home Department. The occasion was the meeting of the IGP and other police officers with the representatives of cityís residents welfare associations. Bedi had tried to pacify the angry gathering.

On the other hand, Bedi too is trying to sift through a mass of mail, including many anonymous letters, over the UT Home Departmentís alleged interference in police functioning. She is also gathering evidence on senior police officials having been bypassed in recent months.

Meanwhile, UT Adviser Vineeta Rai, when contacted, confirmed that she had met the Administrator, Lt. Gen. B.K.N. Chhiber (retd), today but refused to comment on the ongoing controversy between the HS and the IGP.

As Chhibber is going to Delhi tomorrow morning, sources said that he might discuss the issue with the senior officials there. His visit was earlier scheduled for Sunday but it had to be postponed at the last minute, the sources added.

Senior officials of the Union Home Ministry in New Delhi are reportedly awaiting the report of the Administrator on the ongoing row before they order an inquiry to examine the whole gamut of issues, according to highly placed sources.

In a related development, former city mayor Gian Chand Gupta condemned the "acrimony" between the Chandigarh Administration and the city police and called upon the UT Administrator to put an end to it by initiating firm action as per the law.

In a statement issued here today, Gupta said that though it is within the powers of the IGP to transfer the police officials, if the police force lacks in action, the Government/Administration is authorised to intervene in the public interest.

Meanwhile, the four police officials out of five who were suspended by the Home Department a few days ago, continue to be on leave. While DSP Subhash Sagar is reportedly away to Delhi, DSP D.S. Thakur has gone to Shimla.