Chandigarh, January 8
While the Punjab Police gave a clean chit to Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia following allegations levelled by drug lord Jagdish Bhola about his involvement in the multi-crore drug racket, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa today said he would go on an indefinite fast from January 21 if the state government did not handover the case to the CBI in one week.

He also said the state government had been given seven days to take action failing which the Congress would move the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The Congress is scheduled to meet Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil tomorrow, where Bajwa is expected to demand President’s Rule in the state.

“A CBI enquiry is important because Bhola after having mentioned the involvement of three Cabinet ministers had now named Majithia. Let the premier agency investigate the matter and present its report,” Bajwa said.

Bajwa asked the state government to tell Majithia to tender his resignation and instruct the police to lodge a FIR. We are seeking support from all parties and social organisations to raise their voice against a vice (drugs) eating into the vitals of Punjabi society, Bajwa said.

Traffic on state roads will come to a halt on January 16 for three hours 12 noon onwards as a part of the ‘Kukkh Bachao’(save the womb) drive, Bajwa said. The National Student Union of India (NSUI) and the Mahila Congress will stage demonstrations across the state on January 11, 12 and 13. The party also plans to ‘gherao’ Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in Chandigarh on January 20.

Addressing a separate press conference, Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini did not favour handing over the case to the CBI. “Going by the fact that the Punjab Police has worked in tandem with the Intelligence Bureau, Border Security Force, Narcotics Control Bureau and Enforcement on the problem of drugs in the state, handing over the case to CBI will mean giving in to a baseless demand of a hardened criminal.

It will take away the efforts of our team and remove focus frrom the investigation,” he said.

Giving facts to substantiate police efforts to nab drug dealers, Saini said, “The police recovered 100.9 kg heroin in 2011, 278.4 kg in 2012 and 416 kg in 2013. From Bhola alone, the recoveries included 28.5 kg heroin, 14.8 kg ICE, more than one tonne raw material for preparing ICE, 13 weapons and $900.”

Saini said it was important to mention that apart from Bhola, the police had arrested 50 more persons who were under investigation. He also rubbished allegations of the involvement of Patiala SSP Hardayal Mann in any drug racket, as alleged by Bhola.

In a press conference, Maheshinder Singh Grewal, newly appointed Advisor to the Chief Minister, said, “The Shiromani Akali Dal will not have the government ordering a CBI inquiry. Majithia’s being open to any investigation in his private capacity only shows his conviction in transparency.”