New Delhi, December 4
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has told the Congress high command that the filing of the challan in the case against Punjab Agriculture Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal was inevitable and the state government could not have acted in any other manner.

The Chief Minister, who met AICC General Secretary Mohsina Kidwai today for over an hour, explained the reasons for filing the challan in the embezzlement case in a Chandigarh court following the directions of a court in Bathinda. Sources said the Chief Minister had been asked to consult legal experts on the issue and look into the possibility of filing a fresh challan in the case if the court gave its consent.

Mrs Bhattal had earlier in the day met both Mrs Kidwai and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, complaining that the Chief Minister had not consulted the high command before the state Vigilance Bureau filed the challan in the case. While she met Mrs Kidwai at her residence, she went to Parliament House to meet Mrs Gandhi.

Sources said the Chief Minister’s meeting with Mrs Kidwai today followed letters sent by the two leaders to Mrs Gandhi. The Chief Minister could not meet the Congress President today. He is likely to meet Mrs Gandhi after her campaigning in Gujarat.

Capt Amarinder Singh told Mrs Kidwai that the case pertaining to Mrs Bhattal was legal and the state government could not interfere in judicial matters. Sources said the Chief Minister told her that the Congress government had launched a crusade against corruption and any leniency in the case against Mrs Bhattal would have been seen as a compromise and double standards. He said that as Chief Minister he could not have acted in any other manner but as a Congressman he was willing to lend Mrs Bhattal all assistance, including getting the services of the best lawyers.

The Chief Minister showed Mrs Kidwai reports in the media about the jail bharo agitation of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) which had evoked a “poor response.’’ PCC chief H S Hanspal also met Mrs Kidwai over the controversy of dropping some names in the PCC list after these were approved by the high command.

Sources said Mr Hanspal had been told to announce the names cleared by the high command.