Prove corruption allegations, CM dares Angural
BJP candidate Sheetal Angural recently claimed he had evidence against an AAP MLA ‘indulged in illegal betting and lottery trade’
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday dared BJP leader Sheetal Angural to prove his corruption allegations against Mann’s family members. On July 1, Angural, who has been fielded by the BJP from the Jalandhar West seat, had gone live on his Facebook page, accusing Mann’s close family members of corruption by “allowing and running illegal betting and lottery business” in Jalandhar in connivance with a sitting AAP MLA.
Claiming that he had documentary and digital evidences, Angural had challenged CM Mann to call him for those evidences by July 5, while threatening that he would release the same, including audio tapes, for the media.
CM Mann, while addressing a roadshow in the Jalandhar West constituency, questioned, “Why Angural is waiting for July 5? I dare him to prove these allegations today evening or tomorrow. It is my open challenge to him to put these things wherever he wants.”
“Don’t mess with me as I have a long list of Angural’s misdeeds. Action will be taken against him for his involvement in drug and lottery trade. He is baffled because he knows that he will be put behind bars for his illegal business. I assure that Angural will not be spared,” Mann asserted.
Referring to the NDPS case registered against Angural, the chief minister said he was ready for any debate whenever he (Angural) wants. “If I had to earn money, I would not have left the (TV) show business where I was earning ₹25 lakh per show,” Mann added.
It is worth mentioning here that Angural had also played a part of an audio tape purportedly of an AAP MLA in which he was talking about some deal of ₹25 lakh. HT couldn’t verify the veracity of the audio tape.
Mann claimed that he had told Sheetal Angural to stop his corrupt activities, but he did not listen. “He had difficulty in doing illegal work while being in the Aam Aadmi Party so he went to the BJP that gives free hand for corruption. But we will not let him do it,” the chief minister added.
Jakhar, Bajwa for court-monitored inquiry
BJP state president Sunil Jakhar and leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa have demanded a court-monitored probe to ascertain the truth in a time-bound manner. Addressing a press conference in Jalandhar, Jakhar said the chief minister should institute an inquiry as allegations involve his own family members.
Meanwhile, Bajwa said Mann, being the chief minister and home minister of the state, should request the chief justice of Punjab and Haryana high court or the Central Bureau of Investigation for a fair investigation into the allegations levelled by BJP candidate Sheetal Angural.
“Mann should set an example and should come for an open debate for rebutting the allegations levelled by Angural, who once remained a close associate of the Jalandhar sitting MLA in question,” he added.