Khaira rejects report, seeks CBI probe
CHANDIGARH: Leader of opposition in Punjab assembly Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Friday demanded a thorough CBI probe into the controversial sand mining auctions held in the state in May this year.
Rejecting the findings of the Justice JS Narang (retd) commission, Khaira, who is Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Bholath, said that this was a fit case for probe by the central investigating agency because an in-depth inquiry was required to expose the irregularities in the auction.
“If the state government does not order a CBI probe, the AAP will contemplate moving the Punjab and Haryana high court. We want to take the case to its logical conclusion,” Khaira told reporters at a press conference after making public the inquiry report that has given a clean chit to power and irrigation minister Rana Gurjit Singh. The AAP leader dubbed the Narang commission as a “bogus one”, saying that it did not go into many crucial aspects of the matter. “I had rejected it on day 1,” he said.
Accusing chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh of double standards, Khaira said that when Justice Narang submitted his report, the chief minister promised to take “concrete action” within 15 days but nothing had been done to date. “Capt says one thing in public but does the opposite. The government is encouraging defaulters,” he said.
“In the rape case involving Akali leader Sucha Singh Langah, they moved with lightning speed, but just look at how they have acted in the mining case,” he said, demanding prompt action. He also urged the chief secretary to give instructions to officials to seize ₹18 crore deposited towards 50% of the bid money for the two controversial mines.