Masih’s political links rock House, CM orders inquiry

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 20

A day after the arrest of Akali Dal leader Anwar Masih for his alleged role in the Rs 1,000-crore heroin haul from Amritsar, the issue rocked the Vidhan Sabha on the first day of the Budget session on Thursday.

Amid cacophony raised by Akali-BJP MLAs over their adjournment motion on high power tariff not being allowed, Congress MLA Kulbir Singh Zira raised the issue of Masih’s arrest, alleging that he was a “right-hand man of SAD MLA Bikram Majithia”. The Akali-BJP strategy of protest was trounced by this allegation and the subsequent discussion on the matter.

Zira alleged that the links between Majithia and Masih were well known in Majha, while he showed pictures of Majithia and Masih in one frame to members in the House. He also alleged that Masih was made a member of the Subordinate Service Selection Board during the previous SAD-BJP regime at the instance of Majithia.

Zira was earlier seen showing the pictures to Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, Local Bodies Minister Brahm Mohindra and Cooperation Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa before raising the issue.

He found support not just from his own party MLAs, but also from Leader of Opposition Harpal Cheerma. While seeking investigation into the Majithia’s role, Cheema said it was apparent that Masih had links with political bigwigs. “I want the Chief Minister to assure the House that Majithia’s role in the drug haul will be investigated by the STF,” he said.

Responding to the demand, the CM assured the House that all documents/material shown by the MLAs in the Vidhan Sabha would be forwarded to the STF.

“A detailed inquiry would be conducted and the report in this regard will be sent to the competent authority. Anyone suspected to be involved will be thoroughly probed. The entire network will be unravelled to ensure that those involved in illicit trade of drugs are nailed by the law,” he said.

Though the Akali-BJP MLAs said nothing on the issue inside the Vidhan Sabha, while they protested in the well of the House on the issue of high power tariff, Majithia later told the mediapersons that the CM’s announcement of a probe was meant to divert public attention from real issues. He alleged that Masih was a Congressman and an inquiry should be held into his connections with Congress leaders in Amritsar.