*SAD asks Governor to mark SC or HC sitting judge probe into allegations of purchase of its MLAs by AAP*

(Releases FIR registered in the case, says not a single arrest made in last nine days)

(Asks DGP to seize mobile phones of AAP MLAs who made allegations of being offered Rs 25 cr each and subject them to forensic examination)

Chandigarh, September 22 – Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia today urged the Punjab Governor to mark an inquiry by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court into the allegations of purchase of its legislators by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), saying only a transparent probe could bring out the truth in the case.

The SAD leader, while addressing a press conference here, said the inquiry should specify whether any BJP leader or any middleman offered Rs 25 crore each to AAP legislators to switch sides as had been claimed by ministers Harpal Cheema and Aman Arora. “If this is so, action should be taken in the case”. He said alternatively if the AAP allegations were found to be false then action should be taken against the ministers as well as legislators for befooling the people and insulting their mandate.

Asserting that Governor Banwarilal Purohit had done the right thing by withdrawing assent for a special session to enact a political drama on the lines of the one which took place in Delhi earlier, Mr Majithia said “you should not stop at this. If need be, a probe by a central agency should also be ordered into the allegations”.

Questioning the veracity of holding a special session to pass a confidence motion, Mr Majithia said “if the AAP government wants to test the confidence people have in its government it should call for an election by dissolving the assembly. That will be the real test of its popularity”.

Meanwhile, Majithia brought the FIR registered in the bribery case before the people for the first time. Releasing the FIR, he said even though nine days had passed since it was registered, no action had been taken in the matter. “There has not been a single arrest in the case”. He also highlighted the fact that the FIR had been registered against unknown persons even though AAP made specific allegations against BJP leaders and their middlemen. “There is also no mention of the attack on AAP legislator Sheetal Anugral in the FIR or any death threat received by the latter”.

Stating that there could only be two reasons for such a state of affairs, the SAD leader said “either there is no substance in the FIR and that is why no action has been taken in the case or the State Police Chief, to whom it has been submitted has displayed incompetence in handling it. “We demand that the DGP seize mobile phones of all AAP legislators who made these allegations and subject them to forensic examination”.

The former minister also requested Punjab BJP President Ashwini Sharma to clarify the allegations leveled against him and demand a free and fair inquiry into the case. “It is Mr Sharma’s duty to ensure this matter is probed appropriately”, he added.

Majithia also asserted the timing of the Vidhan Sabha session scheduled for September 27 was suspect and it seemed it was being held to further the agenda of AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal as planned earlier. “The AAP government did not hold a special session to discuss the brutal killing of noted singed Sidhu Moosewala, armed clash at Kali Devi temple, the Agnipath scheme, SYL canal issue, weakening of Punjab’s position vis a vis Chandigarh, the Rs 1,000 crore liquor scam, agricultural crisis or even the brutality inflicted on teachers. This shows the government is playing politics and is impervious to the suffering of the farmers, government employees, unemployed youth, teachers and the poor and downtrodden section of society”, he added