Chandigarh, June 3, 2020 (Yes Punjab News)
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today demanded the immediate arrest and custodial interrogation of the Dera Baba Nanak based producer of the spurious PR128 and PR 129 seeds which had caused havoc in the farming community in Punjab even as it demanded a detailed probe into the role of the Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) in the Rs 4,000 Seed scam after the arrest of one of its senior leaders by the SIT.
In a statement here, senior party leaders Sharanjit Singh Dhillon and Maheshinder Singh Grewal said it was shocking that the SIT had still not found it fit to arrest the proprietor of Karnal Agri Seeds – Lucky Dhillon whose involvement in the Seed scam had come to light on May 11.
The leaders said it was strange that even the SIT, which had been formed after the SAD raised the issue, had not proceeded against Lucky Dhillon despite the fact that he had supplied spurious seeds to Brar Seeds whose proprietor had been arrested. “There is clear conclusive evidence in the form of bill receipts seized from Brar Seeds premises as well as the statement given by the accused that he had received the spurious seeds from Karnal Agri Seeds”.
Both Mr Dhillon and Mr Grewal said it appeared that the SIT was not proceeding against Karnal Agri Seeds due to political patronage being provided to its owner Lucky Dhillon by Cabinet minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.
“It is increasingly becoming clear that the minister has provided shelter to the accused at a safe house and that is why the SIT has been unable to arrest him. We demand chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh should hand over the probe to the CBI or the high court so that Lucky Dhillon can be arrested and interrogated immediately”.
The Akali leaders said the arrest of Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) senior leader Baljinder Singh Bhundri in the Seed scam also proved that there were wider ramifications to the scam and that the LIP was also involved in it.
He said SIT should examine the top LIP leadership to unravel the political patronage provided to Bhundri as well as involvement of other members of LIP in the scam. They said the very fact that Bhundri was accused of multiplying the seeds in South India indicated that an inter-State gang was behind the Seed scam which was operationalised with the help of political patronage of various political parties including the LIP and the Congress party.
Mr Dhillon and Mr Grewal also said the SIT was not proving to be effective in investigation of the Seed scam. “It is targeting small fish even as the king-pins of the scam are roaming free.” The leaders said light bailable offences were being registered against the accused deliberately as part of a cover up exercise.
“It seems the SIT is not doing its job properly. It should either go against the king-pin or the chief minister should disband it immediately and order an independent probe into the entire issue”, the leaders added.
The leaders urged farmers across the State to come forward the submit complaints in the Seed scam and assured to take up their case for due compensation.
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