In a scathing attack to the Delhi chief minister’s demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the hooch tragedy, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, yesterday told Arvind Kejriwal to mind his own business and not exploit the tragic event for reviving his defunct Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state.
Singh ticked off Kejriwal over the latter’s Twitter remark that the case should be handed over to the CBI.
“So many people have died and all you are interested in is making a political gain from it. Don’t you have any shame?” he asked Kejriwal and told him to concentrate on maintaining law and order in his own state, which was notorious for the brazen manner in which criminals and gangs were roaming the streets.
Trashing Kejriwal’s claim that “none of the recent illicit liquor cases has been solved by the local police,” the Punjab chief minister asked the AAP leader to verify his facts before shooting his mouth off.
Citing the recent April 22 bust of an illicit liquor unit in the Khanna district, Singh said eight accused had been arrested and hunt to nab seven others was on.
In another case, the two kingpins of an illicit liquor unit in the Patiala district were arrested on May 22 and June 13, and on July 10, the charges filed in court.
Another case was unearthed in May with the arrest of a mafia leader.
The police are awaiting the chemical analysis report to move forward, he added.
Expressing full faith in the Punjab Police, which had taken quick action in all the recent cases, the chief minister said Kejriwal’s demand for the CBI probe was nothing but a political gimmick aimed at regaining a foothold for the AAP that had lost ground in Punjab despite being the principal opposition party.
Singh said while the cases of targeted killings in Punjab were handed over to the CBI, it was the Punjab Police that solved the cases.