Rashim Garg, an alleged aide of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator from Bathinda Rural Amit Rattan Kotfatta, was arrested by vigilance bureau (VB) with alleged bribe money of ₹4 lakh on Thursday evening.
Action by the VB sleuths led to high drama at the Bathinda circuit house as the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leaders led by its district president Sarup Chand Singla rushed to the spot alleging that efforts were being made to shield the MLA.
As per official sources, the bribe was allegedly demanded from the sarpanch of Ghudda village in lieu of availing development funds of ₹25 lakh .
Garg was arrested red-handed from an SUV at the circuit house, located adjacent to the District Administrative Complex. The owner of the said vehicle is not confirmed officially.
Kotfatta was present in the circuit house when Garg was held. MLA was questioned by the VB team in a room in the Circuit House.
Officials of the Bathinda range of VB remained tight-lipped.
{{/usCountry}}Officials of the Bathinda range of VB remained tight-lipped.
{{/usCountry}}But sources said the MLA has not been nominated in the crime but his role would be investigated.
Complainant Pritpal Kumar, who is the husband of Ghudda sarpanch Seema Rani, told mediapersons at Circuit House in the evening that the MLA on Thursday asked him to give cash worth ₹ 4 lakh to Garg.
“Block development and panchayat office of Sangat recently received about ₹25 lakh in development funds and the MLA’s aide demanded ₹5 lakh as his share. A few days ago, I paid ₹50,000 and as I met Kotfatta at Circuit House with ₹ 4 lakh, he directed me to hand over money to Garg in a vehicle outside. As the VB was intimated already, Garg was held with the bribe money,” said Kumar.
As the slogan-raising BJP activists gathered, supporters of Kotfatta also reached on the spot to rubbish charges against the MLA.
MLA’s supporters contested that the alleged bribe was recovered from someone else’s possession and Kotfatta has no role in it.
Rattan posted a video on his Facebook page clarifying that Garg is not his associate. “ This is a political conspiracy to malign the AAP government. I demand a thorough probe in this incident,” said Rattan.