Jalandhar, June 24 (IANS) The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday demanded that the entire case involving the alleged sacrilege committed by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann be handed over to the CBI.

Party leader Maheshinder Grewal told the media that only a CBI probe could get to the bottom of the issue as it had become an inter-state case involving a money trail that needed investigation.

Grewal, one of the five members of the Akali Dal committee constituted to approach religious organisations and the Sant Samaj to form a public movement against the Chief Minister, alleged that it was clear the prime accused was the Chief Minister.

He further claimed that fabrication of documents and forgery had been done at Mann’s instance.

He said it was also a fact that the Aam Aadmi Party had created a fake document and used it in the public domain, presenting it as genuine while seeking a probe into the case by Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav.

Another Akali leader, Daljit Cheema, said a constitutional crisis had been created in Punjab with CM Mann becoming the beneficiary of a first information report (FIR).

He alleged that in this process, the Chief Minister had violated the law and the Constitution to save himself, misused the power of the state and treasury funds, and attempted to show Akal Takht Sahib in a poor light.

Cheema also pointed out that the Chief Minister had yet to explain in which capacity he had sent commissioner-level officers of the Punjab Police to procure a fake forensic report.

He asked whether Mann had directed the officers or whether they had resorted to falsification on their own.

He also demanded that Finance Minister Harpal Cheema clarify on what basis he had made the fake forensic reports public and claimed they were genuine.

Another leader, Balwinder Bhunder, said the Chief Minister had first confronted Akal Takht Sahib and then resorted to lies, including procuring a fake forensic report from Gurgaon.

He alleged that now, after being exposed and with proof that the forensic reports were manufactured by Punjab Police officials, Mann was again trying to mislead the Sikh sangat with new lies.

–IANS

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