NEW DELHI: The BJP on Thursday accused Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, his spouse Gurpreet Kaur and AAP nationwide convenor Arvind Kejriwal of allegedly working a corruption and extortion “syndicate” by way of intermediaries to settle rape circumstances within the state in alternate for bribes of as much as Rs 5 crore.The allegations have been levelled by BJP nationwide spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari, who performed purported audio recordings and cited different materials at a press convention in New Delhi. The BJP described the alleged association because the Aam Aadmi Celebration’s “loot mannequin”.The allegations come in opposition to the backdrop of a Nationwide Human Rights Fee (NHRC) inquiry right into a criticism alleging that Gurpreet Kaur demanded Rs 5 crore to quash a rape case. On August 21, the NHRC directed the Punjab chief secretary and director common of police to inquire into the allegations and submit an Motion Taken Report inside two weeks.There was no rapid response from the Aam Aadmi Celebration to the allegations. Nevertheless, AAP’s Punjab unit has rejected the costs, with AAP state Ladies’s Wing president and MLA Amandeep Kaur Arora calling them “baseless”.Addressing reporters, Bhandari alleged that Mann and his spouse had used intermediaries throughout Punjab to dealer offers involving legal circumstances.“The audio recordings that we’re going to play earlier than you, and the proof that has come earlier than us, level in the direction of the truth that Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann is working a brand new loot racket and a brand new corruption racket,” Bhandari stated.“On this corruption racket, allegations are that he and his spouse, by way of middlemen, are in search of bribes of as much as Rs 5 crore to get reputable rape circumstances settled,” he alleged.Bhandari claimed that intermediaries had been deployed throughout the state on the directions of Mann and his spouse to facilitate the alleged transactions.“The chief minister and the spouse of the chief minister have deputed middlemen throughout Punjab. These middlemen, on the directions of the chief minister and his spouse, have innovated a brand new mannequin of corruption, which we name the Aam Aadmi Celebration’s ‘loot mannequin’, wherein these middlemen are taking bribes of Rs 5 crore to settle rape circumstances,” he additional alleged.He additionally sought to hyperlink Kejriwal to the alleged association, referring to him as Punjab’s “tremendous CM”.“The intermediary is talking to a relative of the accused and saying that we have now additionally knowledgeable ‘CM sahab’ about this and now CM sahab has additionally turn into concerned,” he alleged.Bhandari questioned whether or not the chief minister, his spouse and Kejriwal have been concerned in what he described as a broader corruption community.“Does the chief minister and his spouse run a syndicate wherein they’re taking bribes and cash to withdraw rape circumstances?” he stated.“Has the chief minister’s workplace turn into a syndicate of corruption?” Bhandari requested. “Has the Aam Aadmi Celebration’s ‘loot mannequin’ now turn into a mannequin in Punjab the place cash is being taken for rape circumstances, similar to the corruption and loot mannequin of the ‘Sheesh Mahal’ in Delhi?” he requested.Bhandari additionally cited the NHRC’s intervention, saying the fee had already sought a report from Punjab authorities.“On August 21, 2026, the nationwide human rights fee, taking cognisance of this matter, has already written a letter to the chief secretary of the Punjab authorities and the Punjab DGP.”“It has requested to analyze whether or not the chief minister’s workplace and the chief minister himself are working a corruption racket in Punjab wherein bribes of Rs 5 crore are being supplied to withdraw circumstances of rape victims,” Bhandari stated.The controversy has additionally prompted the Shiromani Akali Dal to hunt a separate probe. A high-level SAD delegation led by get together president Sukhbir Singh Badal met Punjab Governor Gulab Singh Kataria in Chandigarh on Thursday and demanded a CBI inquiry into alleged corruption within the Chief Minister’s Workplace and alleged makes an attempt to guard a rape accused.The delegation submitted a 300-page file together with different paperwork and proof to the Governor in assist of its allegations.The SAD demand adopted the NHRC discover issued final month in reference to allegations that Rs 5 crore was demanded and accepted to defend an accused in a rape case.
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Addressing reporters after assembly the Governor, Badal alleged that the state authorities was making an attempt to guard a rape accused.“On one aspect is the rapist and people defending him, and on the opposite aspect are these helpless women. I wish to see which aspect the media takes. If you don’t present our press convention or spotlight this situation, it means you’re beneath stress of the Punjab authorities and supporting the rapist. I hope the media will stand with these helpless women,” Badal stated.The allegations and counter-allegations come because the NHRC inquiry into the criticism stays underway, with Punjab authorities required to submit an Motion Taken Report back to the fee.