'Operation Lotus': FIR registered on plaint by Punjab AAP MLAs

Tribune News Service

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, September 14

The Punjab Police tonight registered an FIR under Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Sections 171-B and 120-B of the IPC at the Police Station State Crime, Mohali, on the complaint of Aam Aadmi Party MLAs.

The FIR has been registered against unknown persons, confirmed senior officers in the police. This is because no names of the caller are being taken in the audio recordings, and it is now a matter of investigation. “After taking legal opinion, an AIG of the Vigilance Bureau has been nominated to head the probe team. A technical team is also investigating the audio recordings submitted as proof,” said a police official.

BJP for CBI investigation

• BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh has demanded a CBI investigation into the charge of Punjab AAP leaders, saying that they were being offered bribes to shift their loyalty
• Chugh said it was the most ridiculous joke that AAP was playing on Punjabis for the simple reason that they want to deflect the people’s attention from gross corruption they have done while devising state’s liquor policy
• Chugh said by going to the DGP with a complaint on the basis of fake calls, the AAP government was getting into cheap and deceptive politics, which, in the long run, would prove to be a disaster for Punjab

Ruling AAP MLAs had filed a complaint with DGP Gaurav Yadav against the BJP for trying to topple their government by offering money to its MLAs and/or issuing them threats.

Led by state’s senior-most minister Harpal Singh Cheema, 11 party MLAs and Deputy Speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Jai Krishan Singh Rouri, submitted their written complaint to the DGP this afternoon. They have submitted audio recordings of the calls received by the MLAs as proof against the saffron party leaders, who approached them.

Punjabis can’t be lured by money

If they are not chosen by the people, they should devise other means to gain power. While I have full faith in my MLAs, I must remind the BJP that even Alexander was stopped by Punjabis. They cannot be lured by money. — Bhagwant Mann, CM

HC should monitor probe

The government should get the issue of bribes allegedly being offered to its MLAs probed by some independent investigating agency under the supervision of the High Court. —Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, PCC chief

Baseless charge

Allegations levelled by AAP leader Harpal Singh Cheema are false, baseless, concocted and without an iota of truth. —Ashwani Sharma, State BJP chief

The party high command has summoned a meeting of all AAP MLAs, MPs, municipal councillors and office-bearers in Delhi on Sunday, a day after CM Bhagwant Mann is expected to return from his tour of Germany.

Earlier, the Finance Minister said 10 of the 12 MLAs, who were present with him, had been approached by the BJP to switch sides and join the saffron party.

While Cheema named two MLAs — Sheetal Angural and Baljinder Kaur — party sources said the names of the other MLAs were being kept under cover to protect them.

The MLAs who accompanied Cheema were — Dinesh Chadha, Raman Arora, Budh Ram, Kulwant Pandori, Narinder Kaur Bharaj, Rajnish Dahiya, Rupinder Singh Happy, Sheetal Angural, Manjit Singh Bilaspur, Labh Singh Ugoke, Kuljit Randhawa and Deputy Speaker Jai Krishan Singh Rouri. Baljinder Kaur was supposed to accompany them, but she was caught up with another commitment, said Cheema.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal today met Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. Though officially it was said he discussed the measures to be taken by to prevent stubble burning, sources said the situation at hand, arising out of an attempt to poach the AAP MLAs by the BJP, was also discussed. Unconfirmed reports also suggested that all MLAs who have been approached by the BJP are likely to meet the AAP top brass in Delhi tomorrow.

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#Central Bureau of Investigation CBI #Mohali #punjab police