Case against me, Aman Arora politically motivated: Cheema

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday alleged that the case registered against him and AAP state chief Aman Arora on a complaint lodged by Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa was “politically motivated”.

He also accused the Congress and BJP of colluding to frame AAP leaders in false cases. The comment came a day after the Chandigarh Police registered an FIR against Cheema and Arora, also a minister, following a complaint against them by Bajwa.

Bajwa had complained to the police that a video posted on his X account against Vigilance officials for their “misconduct” against SAD MLA Ganieve Kaur had been edited and posted on AAP’s social media handles to show as if he supported the legislator’s arrested husband Bikram Singh Majithia. Seeking the registration of an FIR against AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal, CM Bhagwant Mann and Cheema and Arora, he alleged that the “doctored” video was posted on AAP’s official X handle at the behest of the party’s top leadership.

Reacting to the issue, Cheema accused the Chandigarh Police, controlled by the BJP-led Centre, of acting with lightning speed to file “politically motivated FIRs”, while thousands of genuine complaints remained pending.

He cited official data from the Chandigarh Police affidavit submitted in a court, showing that as of May 15, 2024, 7,067 complaints were pending, many involving cybercrime, fraud and theft.

“This shows how the Congress and the BJP are colluding to frame AAP leaders while ignoring real criminals. But we are not afraid. We are ready to face legal consequences under the law, but we will never stop speaking the truth,” said Cheema.

Cheema also accused the Congress and the BJP of “working in coordination to protect drug traffickers and gangsters” while “attempting to stifle” ruling AAP’s war against drugs through false FIRs and political pressure.

The minister said the AAP government would continue to check gangster activities and the drug mafia.

Punjab