Contractor accuses Zira of seeking bribe

Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, January 14

A couple of days after Congress MLA Kulbir Singh Zira left the state government red-faced by alleging from the stage that police were patronising liquor contractors and drug peddlers, a liquor contractor and a sarpanch on Monday hit back, accusing him of harassing them.

At a press conference here, liquor contractor from Zira Phurman Singh and Bhaba Landa village sarpanch Gurpreet Singh accused the MLA of unethical practices.

Phurman accused Zira of demanding bribe from him to run his business. “I had paid him money and arranged liquor for him on several occasions. But there was no end to his greed. When I refused to pay up, his henchmen attacked me and my son,” he said, adding “Why should I bribe anyone when I am paying taxes to the government? Besides Zira, I have business is Tarn Taran and Moga. There, nobody demands bribe from me”.

He further said he would meet the DGP and apprise him of the matter.

Bhaba Landa village sarpanch Gurpreet, who attended the oath-taking ceremony which Zira had boycotted on Saturday, told the media, “The MLA nursed a grudge against me as members of his family have been elected as sarpanch for the past 15 to 20 years. Gurpreet is a former block president of the Youth Congress.

“I was attacked three years ago. About 35 rounds were fired at my car and I had received two bullet injuries. Four cases were registered in connection with the attack against gangsters owing allegiance to Zira,” Gurpreet said, adding he would file a defamation case against the Congress MLA.

The MLA, however, denied all accusations, saying the truth would soon come out. “It’s a part of conspiracy to divert people’s attention from the charges (that I had levelled from the stage at the oath-taking ceremony),” he said.

A senior Congress leader told The Tribune that a Congress sarpanch hitting out at a ruling party MLA was a result of infighting in the party in Ferozepur. “Congress leaders are leaving no opportunity to put each other down,” he said.

Row belies govt claims: Khaira

Chandigarh: Sukhpal Singh Khaira, MLA and president of Punjabi Ekta Party, has sought an explanation from the Chief Minister on the allegations levelled by Zira. In a statement, Khaira said Zira had clearly blamed the police for sheltering drug mafia at a public event, deflating the false propaganda by the Congress government. tns