Police have lodged an FIR against Mohali mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu after an Election Commission of India (ECI) team found gifts stored at his house in Sector 78 on Friday night.
Punjab chief electoral officer S Karuna Raju said during the surprise check, the ECI team found various items for gifting, including suits, sewing machines and masks, which was a violation of the poll code of conduct.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Harjeet Singh said they had booked Sidhu under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of People Act.
The mayor is the brother of incumbent MLA and Congress’ Mohali candidate Balbir Singh Sidhu. The surprise check was conducted following a complaint to ECI regarding storage of liquor at his house.
ECI check a result of opposition’s frustration: Sidhu
A day after an Election Commission of India (ECI) team carried out a surprise check at Mohali mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu’s house in Sector 78, which was followed by an FIR, his brother and Congress candidate Balbir Singh Sidhu termed it a result of “opposition’s frustration”.
Addressing a press conference at the party’s election office in Sector 79 on Saturday, Sidhu said AAP candidate Kulwant Singh was frustrated about his clear win avenues in the February 20 elections after witnessing the huge public support to his road show in Mohali on Friday.
{{/usCountry}}Addressing a press conference at the party’s election office in Sector 79 on Saturday, Sidhu said AAP candidate Kulwant Singh was frustrated about his clear win avenues in the February 20 elections after witnessing the huge public support to his road show in Mohali on Friday.
{{/usCountry}}“In my long political career, I never did anything wrong. It is a clear case of political vendetta to tarnish my family’s name and good will on the direction of the AAP candidate,” Sidhu alleged, while threatening to file a defamation case against Kulwant.
Hitting out at the former mayor, Sidhu asked him to take on the political fight against him like a leader and not indulge in vendetta behind the scenes. “The search party arrived suddenly, without any written complaint. Yet, we fully cooperated with them. The team failed to find anything in the house, besides some sewing machines meant for disabled children, and some packed sarees and suits labelled as gifts,” he added.
“On World Disabled Day, we distribute sewing machines, tricycles, wheelchairs, etc., among disabled children in the memory of my late Olympian brother Baldev Singh Sidhu, who played a big role in my political career,” Sidhu said, while clarifying about the machines found during the search.
On the other hand, the MLA alleged, no action was taken on Congress’ complaint against the AAP candidate, who was distributing suits among women in Daun village after the implementation of code of conduct.