M A I N   N E W S

Amarinder to sue Dhindsa, Khurana, Malhotra
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 11
Accusing BJP leaders Madan Lal Khurana and V.K. Malhotra and Union Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa of “character assassination,” Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today said he would file criminal defamation suit against them for levelling allegations regarding evasion of customs duty and returning crores to settle loans taken from banks after becoming Chief Minister.

Capt Amarinder Singh said the demand made by the BJP leaders and the Akali Dal minister in their letter to Finance Minister Jaswant Singh was a “blatant attempt to weaken and divert attention from his government’s anti-corruption drive.”

The Chief Minister, who has written a letter to Mr Jaswant Singh refuting the allegations levelled against him, said “regardless of what the NDA does, I will take the anti-corruption drive to a successful conclusion.”

To questions about the raids being conducted by the state Vigilance Department on properties of Mr Badal, the Chief Minister said the agencies were gathering evidence for the past 16 months.

Without naming Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, he said a leader from the neighbouring state had helped Mr Badal following the raids of the state Vigilance Department. Asked if the state agencies could also book Mr Chautala, he said “Chief Ministers should understand what anti-corruption drive is.”

Capt Amarinder Singh said that he would soon write to the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court for setting up fast-track courts in cases of crime against women in Punjab and corruption in high places. He said that the state government would request for day-to-day hearing in such cases.

The Chief Minister said that he was not arresting the Akali Dal chief as he did not want to be accused of being vindictive.

Asked about the Congress ministers against whom complaints had been made to the Lok Pal, the Chief Minister said the Lok Pal had rejected these allegations.

He said that the defamation case against the BJP leaders and the SAD Minister would be filed in Delhi.

In his communication to the Union Finance Minister, the Chief Minister refuted the charges levelled by Mr Khurana, Mr Dhindsa and Mr Malhotra.

“As to the banks, the last payment made to any of the banks after our settlement was finalised with them, was on March 29, 2001. No payment has been made to any bank after this date. There is money pending with two banks, one is the Punjab & Sind Bank where the last instalment of Rs 30 lakh is due now which will be paid shortly. As to the second bank, the Bank of Baroda, there was a major dispute with them because after our settlement and payment of 50 per cent money, they backtracked and we moved the Himachal Pradesh High Court in Shimla where the case is now pending,” he said.