Institute CBI probe into allegation that BJP offered Rs 25 cr to AAP MLAs: Akali Dal
Darpan News Desk IANS, 15 Sep, 2022 01:12 PM
Chandigarh, Sep 15 (IANS) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on Thursday demanded institution of a CBI and an ED inquiry into Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema's allegation that the BJP had offered Rs 25 crore each to 10 AAP legislators to switch loyalty.
Majithia told the media here that this was also necessary because the AAP government had neither made the FIR registered in this case public even after 24 hours, nor taken any action against any BJP leader or middlemen involved.
"Punjab has never witnessed a bribery charge of this scale ever and since Punjab Police is not acting in the matter, the case should be handed over to central agencies." He said a high court monitored probe could also be held on the issue.
Majithia also appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to get the allegations that the latter's name was used while trying to woo AAP legislators probed thoroughly.
"It is not a matter about any particular party but a challenge to democracy and its very foundations." He said SAD on its part would also file a complaint with Chandigarh Police on Friday to demand a thorough probe into the entire case in keeping with the sentiments of people of the state and their right to know the truth.
The SAD leader also asserted that there were many loose ends in the entire bribery case. "Different leaders are giving different figures. If Cheema says 10 MLAs were approached, the Chief Minister has put the figure to six or seven, while minister Aman Arora has given a figure of 35."
He said the AAP leadership had claimed that it had electronic evidence but the same was not being shared with the public.
Asserting that AAP may be in the process of enacting a drama at the expense of the state exchequer, Majithia said, "The government may very well hold a special session to seek a vote of confidence in the same manner in which it did in Delhi."
He also questioned the credentials of the pivotal AAP figure behind the allegations -- Sheetal Angural. He said the Finance Minister claimed that Angural had been attacked but there was no information about this in the public sphere.
"It is also being alleged that Angural had received death threats from the BJP. He showed a number of photographs of Angural with top BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah, to prove that Angural had very cordial relations with the BJP." He also disclosed that Angural's testimony could not be believed as he had nine criminal cases registered against him, including those of abduction and kidnapping of a minor girl, attempt to murder, gambling and bootlegging.
Answering a question, Majithia said the Chief Minister had lowered the prestige of Punjab by lying about BMW establishing a car manufacturing plant in Punjab.
He also castigated the AAP government for being double standards on the Agnipath scheme. He said while Bhagwant Mann had opposed the scheme in the Vidhan Sabha, he was supporting it now.
Harjot's brother Prabhjot Singh, who resides in Delhi's Chhattarpur, told IANS: "The last conversation I had with Harjot was on February 26 at 9 p.m. I haven't spoken to him since then. On March 2, at night, he contacted the family and informed them about his injuries.
While directing officials to ensure safe return of the remaining students and other persons stuck in Ukraine, he said the state government is sparing no effort to help the distressed families in this hour of crisis.
Over 700 Indian students are stuck in Sumy and they are running out of basic necessities like food and water and they have been urging the Indian government to get them evacuated from there.
Over 7,400 Indian nationals are expected to be evacuated under the 'Operation Ganga' in the next two days, the government said on Thursday. The Centre has initiated an airlift operation to evacuate Indians, who have found their way to the neighbouring countries of war-torn Ukraine.
This advisory, prepared by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, warns about aerial raids, missile attacks, artillery shelling, small arms and gunfire, grenade explosions and 'Molotov cocktails', including by local people/militia.
The flight IX-1202 with 183 passengers, including an infant, arrived at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at around 5.40 a.m. The evacuees were received by Union Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Danve-Patil with flowers and words of solace as they trooped out lugging their belongings.
