Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
The political controversy surrounding the allegations involving a Bahrain-based woman and an SGPC-run sarai at Sri Anandpur Sahib has intensified, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) targeting the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and questioning the silence of its senior leaders. AAP Punjab General Secretary and Media In-charge Baltej Singh Pannu alleged that SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal was avoiding questions related to the case.
Pannu questioned who brought the woman from Bahrain to Sri Anandpur Sahib and who arranged a vehicle for her. He also sought an explanation regarding the expenses incurred during her stay at the SGPC-run accommodation.
A key issue raised by Pannu was an alleged ₹1 lakh transfer to the woman’s bank account. According to Pannu, the amount was transferred from an account linked to the SGPC secretary in July. He questioned the purpose of the payment, who authorised it and under which account head the transaction was recorded.
Pannu said the SGPC should make all relevant records available to the investigating agencies. He particularly sought details of whom the woman had spoken to among political and religious leaders, arguing that call records, accommodation records and other documents could be important for establishing the sequence of events.
He also demanded details of the woman’s stay at the SGPC sarai, including arrangements for accommodation, transport, food and other facilities. Reports have said she stayed at the sarai for several months, while an FIR was registered on August 21 following her complaint against former Akali leader and SGPC member Amarjit Singh Chawla. The allegations in the case remain under investigation.
Pannu further said that SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami should provide the complete records related to the sarai. He said the register concerning Dhami Sarai should be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) if sought by the agency.
At the same time, Pannu questioned the demand for a CBI probe, arguing that transferring a case to the central agency can sometimes prolong an investigation. He referred to the 2015 sacrilege cases while making this argument.
Pannu also alleged that there could be renewed political understanding between the SAD and the BJP. He named SAD leaders Virsa Singh Valtoha and youth wing president Sarabjit Singh Jhinjer while calling for scrutiny of the arrangements allegedly made to bring the woman to Punjab and facilitate her stay.
The AAP leader maintained that all available records should be handed over to the investigating agencies so that the circumstances surrounding the woman’s arrival, stay, expenses and interactions can be established.
