The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today demanded a high level independent probe into the role of chief minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Convener Arvind Kejriwal in facilitating corruption in the Punjab Vigilance office which was raided by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) last night.
Speaking to newsmen here, senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia also expressed shock at the manner in which the accused private persons were aided in escaping trap operations by providing AK-47 wielding Punjab Police gunmen.
He said this was proved when accused Vikas Goel and Raghav Goel were arrested by the CBI near Ambala in the company of two armed gunmen. Asking who approved official security for private middle men, the SAD leader demanded a thorough inquiry into the political protection being provided to such elements by Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal.
Asserting that Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal had destroyed all institutions by putting all posts on sale, Mr Bikram Majithia said “now it has become mandatory for officers to tell how much money they will collect for AAP if posted at a particular post”.
Mr Majithia said “the very fact that O P Rana, who is the OSD of DGP Vigilance Sharad Satya Chauhan, has been accused of demanding Rs 20 lakh to settle a probe and the fact that he took Rs 13 lakh speaks of the open loot taking place in Punjab”.
He said the Vigilance department probed hundreds of complaints at one time and if this was the asking rate for settling a single complaint one could only imagine the extent of corruption taking place in the department. It is clear that the Vigilance office is being used as a money collection centre and the loot is going to the very top”.
Demanding a probe into corruption in Punjab, Mr Majithia said the scope of this probe should examine the illegal land deals facilitated by chief secretary KAP Sinha and the latter’s family members. “Sinha is earning the dubious notoriety of becoming the most corrupt IAS officer in the history of the State”. He also demanded a probe into the functioning of temporary DGP Gaurav Yadav.
Mr Majithia also demanded a probe into the linkage between cabinet minister Sanjeev Arora, who has been arrested on corruption charges, with Arvind Kejriwal. He said it was becoming clear that Arora was acting as a money collection and money laundering agent of AAP and its top leadership.
“These linkages need to be established as AAP has in its desperation retained him as a minister so that he does not spill the beans against the chief minister and Kejriwal”, the SAD leader added.