Just about two days before Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Sukhpal Khaira’s court appearance in a 2015 case of trans-border drug smuggling, its ally Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) on Monday come to his rescue by releasing a transcript of an alleged “deal” to procure an adverse order against the Leader of Opposition in Vidhan Sabha.
Giving a new turn to the drug controversy, LIP MLAs Simarjit Bains and Balwinder Bains — popularly known as Bains Brothers — released an audio recording claiming it to be a conversation about payment of Rs 35 lakh to a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to get adverse orders against Khaira in his petition challenging the summons issued against him by the Fazilka district court in 2015 drug case.
Bains brothers, claiming that attempts were made to “influence” the judiciary against Khaira, demanded an investigation by the premier probing agency — the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), into the entire matter.
The audio clip is allegedly between a former Punjab law officer and a former PCS officer claiming that he had played a vital role in getting Khaira’s plea in the High Court dismissed by paying money to the judge.
Bains Brothers maintained that they will meet the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana high court and demand a CBI inquiry into the matter.
As the disclosure was made just hours before the Vidhan Sabha session, it has undoubtedly set the tone for the same.
Shocked, Khaira minced no words to point fingers at SAD president Sukhbir Badal, his brother-in-law Bikram Majithia and Punjab Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh.
“We have suspicion that Sukhbir Badal, Bikram Singh Majithia and Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh are involved…I have suspicion that the order of the Fazilka court was also procured…I have been a whistleblower and that's why I am
being framed.
It’s a dhakka and dhokha with me…I am requesting the CJI to order a CBI probe in the case,” said Khaira after the House adjourned for the day.
He added, “We consider High Court judges like Gods. But it’s sad if justice is being compromised.
We still do not know who is behind the controversy, though the name of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh is there in the clip…I am a victim of a larger controversy.
Though I can't believe what is happening.”
Later, Khaira, along with AAP and LIP MLAs, met the Governor VP Singh Badnore demanding a CBI inquiry into the alleged role of the High Court.
Mincing no words, Khaira told the Governor that it was conspiracy colluded against him by Capt Amarinder, Rana Gurjit, and Sukhbir Badal.
Khaira and Simarjit Bains handed over the memorandum to the Governor who, Khaira claimed, have assured regarding thoroughly probing the matter.
AAP MLA demanded that the CBI should probe all cases including his and that of Majithia. Simarjit claimed that they have ample evidences of their allegations that a “dismissed” PCS officer is talking with the former Deputy Advocate General of the previous Badal government to give Rs 35 lakh to a High Court judge for dismissing Khaira’s petition,
MATTER IS SUBJUDICE: CAPT
Refusing to comment on the audio transcript released by Bains brothers, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday said that the government would not intervene in the allegations against a judge as the matter is subjudice.
“The case is in the court…Let the courts take call on it,” he said while talking to the reporters outside the House.
SAMPLA SUPPORTS DEMAND FOR PROBE INTO AUDIO CLIP
Supporting the demand for a probe into the audio clip, Punjab BJP president and Union Minister Vijay Sampla said that the allegations levelled by the Bains Brothers were of serious nature and Punjab Government should order probe to unearth truth behind this.