Khaira denies AAP allegations, cites Supreme Court’s order in NDPS case

Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira has rejected allegations linking him to an NDPS case involving his former personal security officer (PSO), Joga Singh, describing them as “malicious and baseless propaganda” by leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). In a statement issued on Friday, Khaira stated that the claims were politically motivated and contradicted by judicial orders.

Khaira referred to a Supreme Court order dated April 10, 2024, in which a Bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal stayed all proceedings related to the NDPS case against him until the next hearing. The court also directed the Punjab Government not to proceed further with the trial in the lower court. According to Khaira, this order undermines any suggestion of ongoing culpability.

Responding to reports that Joga Singh had been “absconding for 10 years” in connection with a drug trafficking case, Khaira said official records showed Singh was named in the case only through an FIR registered on September 28, 2024. He maintained that linking Singh’s recent arrest to a 2015 case was a misrepresentation, and emphasised that the matter under judicial scrutiny was the 2024 FIR, which was stayed by the Supreme Court.

The Bholath MLA also pointed to previous court findings in his favour. On January 4, 2024, the Punjab and Haryana High Court granted him bail after Justice Anoop Chitkara recorded prima facie satisfaction that he was not guilty of the allegations. The Supreme Court upheld this bail decision on January 18, 2024, rejecting an appeal by the Punjab Government.

Khaira reiterated his claim that his September 2023 arrest was politically motivated and noted that a subsequent case under Sections 195A and 506 of the IPC was also covered by the stay on proceedings.

He alleged that the current controversy was part of a broader political vendetta by the AAP-led Punjab Government. He said it appeared that the timing of Singh’s arrest at Delhi Airport on August 9, 2025, aimed at damaging his reputation.

Urging the public and media to rely on verified facts and judicial records, Khaira said the Supreme Court’s intervention reflected the integrity of the legal system. He reaffirmed his stance against drug trafficking and corruption. — OC