Under fresh onslaught over his son’s alleged involvement in hawala transactions, beleaguered Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today hurriedly announced a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to be headed by a retired high court judge to look into the matter.With dissidents led by Rajinder Kaur Bhattal snapping at his heels, he also got his Council of Ministers to repose faith in his integrity.Addressing the media moments after wrapping up a Cabinet meeting that discussed more politics than administrative matters, Amarinder announced he was setting up the probe, and that it would submit its report within three months.While he did not state the terms of reference of the CoI, he said it was necessary and with it, ‘‘my son’s name will be cleared’’. The name of the retired judge who will head the probe is still to be announced.‘‘They have questioned my credibility,’’ said Amarinder. ‘‘(Besides) I want to pin those people who have tried to paint me with the same brush as we painted Parkash Singh Badal and his BJP colleagues, who will also be someday picked up by the Vigilance (Bureau).’’The CM had come under attack after media reports suggested transfers of US $100,000 allegedly by a Singapore-based firm to ESquare Limited in Channel Islands, which is owned by the father of a close friend of Amarinder’s son Raninder. Leonard Freeke, the friend, is himself an adviser in the company. Amarinder had strongly defended Freeke recently as ‘‘a nice boy’’.The CM also released to the media today a letter from Freeke, dated December 29, in which he denies the document, mentioning ‘‘Ranainder Singh New Moti Bagh Palace, Patiala’’, a portion of which was reproduced in a section of the media. The Freeke letter, the CM said, ‘‘landed on my fax in my bedroom when I was asleep. So I don’t know what time it came’’.The document that was published in the media, addressed to Freeke, mentioned receipt of US $100,000 in a Swiss account ‘‘on behalf of Mr Ranainder Singh, your consultant/partner in the Punjab Intranet Company’’.
