CM gives Akali-gangster ‘link’ proof to Governor

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 9

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today said he had shared with the Governor evidence of Akali leadership’s alleged nexus with gangsters even as the DGP claimed more than 2,000 gangsters had been nabbed in Punjab so far.

A day after the SAD rejected an inquiry ordered by the CM into the alleged nexus, Capt Amarinder said he would not succumb to pressure tactics and would get to the bottom of it to ensure the guilty did not go scot-free.

The CM said he asked the DGP to get the probe conducted after receiving photographs purportedly showing links of hardened criminals/gangsters with top Akali leadership.

He said before ordering the inquiry, he had apprised the Governor of the photographs, which, if proven authentic, would expose the role, nature and extent of Akali involvement in patronising criminals and gangsters in the state.

The evidence required a full-fledged police investigation, and he had asked the DGP to complete the probe at the earliest, he added.

Accusing the SAD of trying to diver the attention by targeting Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, the CM said the SAD had no proof of any involvement of Randhawa or any other Congress minister/leader with criminals.

The Chief Minister accused the SAD leadership of hobnobbing with gangsters and criminals for vested interests, while people lived in fear during their 10 years of misrule.

The photographs show Harjinder Singh, alias Bittu Sarpanch, felicitating and posing with SAD top brass, including Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Badal, Harsimrat Badal and Bikram Majithia, according to a spokesperson for the CM’s Office. Bittu is also allegedly close to Jeet Mohinder Singh, the sitting SAD MLA from Talwandi Sahib.

Inputs available with the Organised Crime Control Unit, suggest Bittu is reported to have been providing shelter to members of the notorious Gurpreet Sekhon gang in the past, said DGP Dinkar Gupta. 

Gupta said under the present regime, the state had obtained extradition orders of Ramanjit Singh, alias Romi, the mastermind of Nabha jailbreak case and the point person of terrorist/gangster in Hong Kong. Romi was involved in drugs/arms trade.

Besides, it had also secured deportation from Armenia of Sukhpreet Singh Dhaliwal, alias Budda Major Singh, the self-styled chief of the Davinder Bambiha gang.

2,127 mobsters held 

2,127 gangsters (eight of them Category A) held under Capt regime

10 gangsters (five of them Category A) neutralised

1,040 weapons, 468 vehicles seized from gangsters

ADGP Dhoke to conduct probe

Chandigarh: ADGP (Internal Security) RN Dhoke will probe the alleged politician-gangster nexus. Dhoke is supervising the counter-intelligence wing and Organised Crime Control Unit