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Drug case: Khaira ready to resign if charges are framed against him in court, says AAP’s Kanwar Sandhu
Khaira’s name had cropped up in the case after the arrest of nine drug smugglers in Fazilka in March this year.
Leader of Opposition in Punjab assembly and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira has given a commitment to the party that he will resign if charges are framed against him in the drug case in the Fazilka court, said his party colleague Kanwar Sandhu on Saturday.
This revelation comes a day after the Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday dismissed Khaira’s petition challenging the order of the trial court summoning him in the case.
Talking to HT, Kharar MLA Sandhu, however, said, “This looks like a clear case of conspiracy by the present government and the previous (SAD-BJP) regime. He had been vocal on the issues that really matter and speaking against a certain minister allegedly using front men to establish control over sand mines and related business.”
When contacted, Khaira evaded a direct reply on his said commitment to the party, but said, “If anything serious happens, I will consider giving my resignation.”
Also Read | Resignation now will amount to admission of charge, says AAP’s Sukhpal Khaira
Notably, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Congress lost no time in demanding Khaira’s resignation. SAD president Sukhbir Badal even sought Khaira’s immediate arrest while asking AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal to break his silence on the issue.
Ridiculing the Opposition’s demand for Khaira’s resignation, Sandhu said, “The politicians asking for his resignation never gave their resignation even after charges were framed against them in certain cases.” However, he refused to name such leaders.
On Friday, the high court bench of justice AB Chaudhari quashed the non-bailable warrants issued against Khaira for November 30, but asked him to approach the trial court for anticipatory bail.
Khaira’s name had cropped up in the case after the arrest of nine drug smugglers in Fazilka in March this year. The police had recovered 2kg heroin, 24 gold biscuits, a country-made pistol and two Pakistani SIM cards from them. They were convicted on October 31 and were sentenced to three to 20 years jail for trans-border heroin smuggling. The court had summoned Khaira through the same order.
