No link with arrested drug smuggler: Khaira : The Tribune India

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No link with arrested drug smuggler: Khaira

Former Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira addresses a press conference in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Tribune photo:Parvesh Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 10

Former Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira today “dared” the Punjab government to institute an inquiry against him by either a sitting High Court Judge or the CBI to ascertain if he had link with a drug racket allegedly being run by one Gurdev Singh.

Addressing mediapersons a day after the Fazilka police accused him of trying to protect Gurdev Singh, allegedly involved in trans-border smuggling of heroin, Khaira rubbished the allegations. He said although he knew Gurdev Singh, he had not been in touch with him for the past two years as the latter was suffering from hepatitis. “I have spoken to him only four times in the past one year, that too to enquire about his health,” he said.

Describing the police as a stooge of the Akali government, Khaira dared police officials to investigate calls between Sharanjit Singh, a former sarpanch of Lakhan Ke Patte village in the Bholath constituency and an associate of Bibi Jagir Kaur, and Bibi’s son-in-law Gurdev Singh during the same period. He said a probe would reveal that Gurdev Singh was being used by the ruling party to sabotage his ( Khaira’s ) political career. “I am being falsely implicated in the case by Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, DGP Sumedh Saini and my archrival Bibi Jagir Kaur. I had spoken to the IG regarding Gurdev Singh, who at one point of time was my supporter. Gurdev Singh had been missing and his sister in UK called me up for help.

She said he had set up a travel agency with Nirmal Singh of Jalalabad.

“Since the latter was not giving Gurdev Singh his due and was threatening to implicate him in false cases, I approached the IG Umranangal. On being told he was involved in drug smuggling, I stepped back,” Khaira said.

“The CM, Deputy CM and DGP have chosen to ignore allegations levelled against Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia in the Rs 6,000-crore synthetic drug racket and given him a clean chit in spite of the ED producing evidence against him. I dare them to institute an inquiry against me,” he said.