Ready to appear as witness in graft case against Akali leader, says Channi

Former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday said he was ready to appear before the Vigilance Bureau (VB) as a witness in the corruption case against arrested SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia.

Channi, who is also the Jalandhar Lok Sabha MP, made the remark in the wake of his criticism for allegedly “supporting” the SAD leader.

Facing backlash over the issue, he had on Sunday said he was committed to fighting against drug abuse and did not know that he was being targeted over the issue on social media.

Clearing his stance, the former CM had said that his support was “limited to the manner in which Majithia was arrested”.

Further commenting over the Majithia issue, Channi said the fresh FIR lodged by the Vigilance carried the same facts that were included in the complaint lodged against the Akali leader during his tenure as the CM.

“The VB has simply added two more lines in the case and presented it as a fresh FIR. If I am called in for any assistance in the case against Majithia or any other drug accused, I shall offer the required cooperation,” he told the media.

Channi, however, stressed that the VB had only made a case of alleged corruption by Majithia as the drug cases did not fall under its ambit. “Still I have been trolled on social media for trying to hamper the ongoing campaign against drug abuse,” he said.

Punjab