SAD leader accuses Punjab minister, Ludhiana police chief of sheltering rape accused MLA

Lok Insaaf Party chief Simarjeet Singh Bains has been booked for allegedly raping a 45-year-old woman; Majithia says that Bains is roaming scot-free despite HC orders

Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia slammed cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Ludhiana police commissioner Rakesh Agrawal on Saturday for allegedly sheltering Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) chief Simarjeet Singh Bains who is facing rape charges.

SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia addressing a party meeting in Ludhiana on Saturday. (HT Photo)

Majithia was in the city to attend a function where former Congress and LIP workers were being inducted into the Akali Dal. He said that despite high court’s order, Bains is roaming scot-free.

He added that paddy was being procured from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar at ₹1,000 per quintal and being sold for ₹1,883 at mandis in Punjab and the money was being pocketed by corrupt officials and leaders. “A CBI probe was initiated, but it was conveniently pushed under the carpet. Once back in power, we will reopen the probe and take action against also those involved in large scale corruption,” said Majithia.

He said it was utterly shameful that the Congress government had plundered Punjab and most corrupt ministers were given clean chit by chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh.

He also criticised Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal for taking the people of Punjab for a ride on the issue of subsidies. He added that the appointment of Navjot Singh Sidhu as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president was just a distraction to camouflage the failure of the ruling Congress regime.