Talking to The Indian Express on phone on Thursday, Dharamsot said the way his supporters welcomed him after he came out of jail was like he had “come after winning an election”. (File Photo)A day after coming out of jail on bail in an alleged corruption case, Congress leader and former forest minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot made a call to the concerned officer to get his security back – but according to Dharamsot, the call went unanswered.
He said, “As a former cabinet minister, I want my security of three personnel entitled to me as re-attached with me. I called a concerned officer today, but the call went unanswered. I will take up the matter to get my security restored as per the protocol for former cabinet ministers.”
Talking to The Indian Express on phone on Thursday, Dharamsot said the way his supporters welcomed him after he came out of jail was like he had “come after winning an election”. He added, “I did not want that [rousing celebrations], but people were so enthusiastic.”
Dharamsot was booked for allegedly taking bribes to issue No Objection Certificates for various projects, transfers of officers and cutting of khair trees.
“I have done nothing wrong. I have full faith in law and the judiciary,” said Dharamsot who came out of jail on Wednesday after being granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
After coming out of jail, he told the media that while in jail he learned the difference between “apne and paraaye” (well-wishers and foes).
Asked to elaborate, Dharamsot said it was a “generic statement” as “the world in jail is entirely different where one realizes who actually is your own and who is not”.
However, he said that his party supported him and that Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa expressed solidarity with him.
He said he had no regrets while being in jail and spent time like other inmates, without seeking any special treatment or favours. “I never caused any hindrance in law. They picked me up at 3 am. I did not face any problem in jail either,” said Dharamsot.
“I have been into electoral politics since 1992. I believe in God. I am to live and die for my people [supporters].