Amarinder directs DGP to probe "politician-gangster" nexus

Taking note of media reports of alleged nexus between gangsters and politicians in the state, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has ordered a probe into the veracity of the allegation.

The chief minister ordered the probe, promising "stern action" against any politician found having nexus with gangsters, but expressing "full confidence" in his ministerial colleagues.

The chief minister has directed state police chief Dinkar Gupta to inquire into the allegations as made out from the documents/photos that have been submitted to him and which prove to the contrary of the allegations made by opposition parties.

The photographs show a notorious criminal, who has many cases pending against him and has links with a known gangster, with top Akali leaders, said an official spokesperson, in a statement here on Saturday.

The chief minister made it clear that no one encouraging unlawful activities in the state will be spared and stern action, whatever warranted as per law, shall be taken.

I have no doubt that none of my colleagues is involved in any such nefarious activities, Singh further said, in response to the allegations levelled by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and its ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who have targeted Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa over the past few days, in the wake of the murder of former Akali sarpanch Dalbir Dhilwan.

Rejecting the allegations as false and baseless, Randhawa himself has challenged the Akali leaders, saying he is ready for probe by any independent agency or a sitting judge.

It was the Akalis whose patronage of gangsters and jail mismanagement had destroyed the system, Randhawa has said, as per the spokesperson quoting him.

Further, said Randhawa, the jailed gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, with whom he (Jails Minister) was being accused of association, was active during the SAD-BJP rule, with as many as 29 of the 44 cases registered against him.

Notably, on Saturday, upping the ante for action against accusedin the Akali leader Dalbir Singh Dhilwan murder case, a large number of SAD activists led by party president Sukhbir Singh Badal held a four-hour-long protest outside Batala SSP's office in Batala.

Dalbir was a two-time village head and also the vice president of the Batala unit of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had earlier written to the National Human Right Commission (NHRC), alleging that Punjab minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa was behind the murder.

Former minister Bikram Singh Majithia has linked the murder with gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, alleging that the latter acted at the behest of Randhawa.

Randhawa has denied the charges.