Punjab orders probe into Amarinder's relations with Pak friend Aroosa

Chandigarh, Oct 22 (IANS) The Punjab government on Friday ordered a probe into former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's relations with his Pakistani woman friend Aroosa Alam and her relation with the ISI.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa said the government would probe the ISI links of Aroosa Alam.

"Captain Amarinder Singh is now saying that there is a threat from the ISI. We will look into the woman's connection with it. Captain kept raising drones issue coming from Pakistan for last four-five years," Randhawa told the media.

"Captain Amarinder Singh kept raising the issue of drones coming over from Pakistan for the last four-and-a-half years. So Captain sahab first raised this issue and later got the BSF deployed in Punjab. So it seems a big plot which needs to be probed," he said.

Randhawa, who also hold the Home portfolio, added he asked the Punjab Police chief to investigate the allegations.

In political circles, the decision to order probe by the government against its own party's former Chief Minister is seen as a major embarrassment for Amarinder Singh, who on October 19 announced that he would soon announce the launch of his own political party to serve the interests of the people, including the farmers who've been fighting for their rights for over a year now.

The former Chief Minister also said he is hopeful of a seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP for next year's Assembly elections in the state, if the farmers' issues are resolved in their interest.