Quizzed by vigilance for 7 hrs, Channi: ‘AAP govt worse than Mughals… can kill me too’

However, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the AAP government has started a campaign against corruption and further stated if Channi has nothing to hide he should have no problem in facing the VB probe.

Cheema said Channi is staging a drama and referred to the Enforcement Directorate action against Congress leader’s nephew Bhupinder Singh Honey, who had been booked last year in a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal sand mining.

Earlier, before reaching the VB’s Mohali office around 11 am, Channi addressed media at Congress office and lashed out at the AAP government over advancing his date of appearance before the investigation agency.

“They summoned me on a public holiday when offices are shut. For torturing Channi, the offices have been especially opened and the day they have chosen is (the day) of Baisakhi and Dr BR Ambedkar’s birth anniversary,” Channi said.

The Congress leader asked if this is democracy, mobocracy or oligarchy and claimed the AAP government wants to keep him away from campaigning for the Congress candidate in next month’s Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypolls.

The VB, which last month had issued a lookout circular against the former CM, had initially asked him to appear for questioning on April 12 in connection with an inquiry into allegations of Channi amassing assets disproportionate to his known source of income. Channi, however, requested for another date to join the investigation, which the bureau allowed, asking him to appear on April 20. Later, the VB advanced it to Friday.

Sources said during questioning by the VB officials, details about properties of Channi and his family, bank accounts, their details, any investments he made abroad, especially when he was on a long trip to the USA and Canada last year after elections, were sought.

Besides, he was also quizzed about activities of his nephew Bhupinder Honey, the sources said.
Channi, meanwhile, rubbished the allegations that he had accumulated any disproportionate assets. “The probe is totally political. Let them do what they want.”

Before reaching the bureau’s office, Channi said, “They may arrest me, beat me up, torture me and send me to jail, do whatever you want. They can send me behind bars today, too. They can even kill me but I am prepared”.

“Hang me if even one person says Channi was indulging in any corrupt practice,” the former CM said breaking down in tears.

Channi said ahead of the Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll, he has raised some issues. He alleged that the AAP government has been rattled by the questions he raised, including those relating to Dalits, “on what the chief minister said about Akal Takht Jathedar”, about justice in sacrilege cases and farmers’ issues.

“Amarinder Singh was our chief minister, we had nothing personal against him but we changed our government on these issues. We proceeded on the sacrilege issue later. I raised some issues of the Dalit community, I talked about the farmers and other matters,” he said and claimed that the government did not like the questions he raised.

“And when someone speaks the truth, the one who is a liar feels the pinch — that is what has happened with the AAP government,” he alleged.

Channi challenged CM Mann to prove his allegations that he owned property worth Rs 170 crore and had 250 acres of land. “Barring my home and an office and one shop, let them show which property I own, I will give it to the government,” said Channi.

He said that he had sold 10 acre land during his first election in 2007. “I am under debt and orders have been issued to attach my house. Will CM Mann believe this,” he asked.

Channi asked whether he was being targeted as people cannot digest how a Dalit, who came from humble background, became chief minister, even though he might have remained in the post only for three months.

“They say my son goes around in Rs 3.5-crore car, I want to ask them where is that car. They formed government by portraying me as corrupt…I am being framed in false cases, if they have to give me behind bars, let them. Channi may be from poor family, but he is not weak,” he said. The former chief minister was flanked by senior party leaders, including the state Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Harish Chaudhary and Partap Singh Bajwa. Channi thanked the partty leadership for standing behind him. He said he will go to the VB office alone and added he does not fear arrest. About the probe against the former CM, Warring dubbed it as “a conspiracy to suppress Channi’s voice”.