Bikram Singh Majithia alleges Punjab Vigilance was being used as a “money

collection centre”; seeks probe into links with AAP leadership

Chandigarh, 12 May (H.S.): The Shiromani Akali Dal on

Tuesday demanded a high-level independent probe into the alleged role of Punjab

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal in facilitating corruption in

the Punjab Vigilance Bureau following a

recent Central Bureau of Investigation

raid.

Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh,

senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia

said the recent CBI action in an alleged bribery case involving Punjab

Vigilance officials and private middlemen had exposed deep-rooted corruption in

the department.

Majithia expressed shock over allegations that

private accused were allegedly helped escape a trap operation with the

assistance of armed Punjab Police personnel. He claimed that accused Vikas Goel and Raghav Goel were arrested by the CBI near Ambala along

with two armed gunmen carrying AK-47 rifles.

Questioning who approved official security

cover for private middlemen, Majithia demanded an inquiry into the alleged

political protection being provided to such individuals.

He further alleged that the AAP government had

weakened institutions by allegedly turning government postings into a source of

revenue collection. According to him, officers were expected to reveal how much

money they could generate for the ruling party in return for postings.

Referring to bribery allegations involving O P Rana, who he claimed is the OSD to

DGP Vigilance Sharad Satya Chauhan,

Majithia alleged that the demand of ₹20 lakh to settle a complaint reflected

large-scale corruption. He said if such a huge amount was demanded in a single

case, the scale of corruption in the department could be much bigger.

The SAD leader also sought a probe into

alleged illegal land deals involving Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha and his family members. He

further demanded an inquiry into the functioning of temporary DGP Gaurav Yadav.

Majithia also linked the recent arrest of

Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora in a

separate corruption case with the AAP leadership, alleging that he acted as a

money collection and laundering agent for senior party leaders.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH