Take MLA Raman Arora’s arrest to logical conclusion: BJP leaders

Reacting to the arrest of Jalandhar (Central) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Raman Arora by the Vigilance Bureau, the leaders of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday said they expected the state government to take the case against Arora to a logical conclusion.

BJP leaders, including ex-minister Manoranjan Kalia, ex-CPSes KD Bhandari and Avinash Chander, ex-MLAs Sheetal Angural and Jagbir Brar said, “We expect this case not to be left midway like those against previously indicted AAP MLAs Vijay Singla, Amit Rattan Kotfatta and Fauja S Sarari. People of Punjab want to know the follow-up of the reports that came against these AAP leaders. If Arora had indulged in corruption, his case should be completely unearthed, all his wrong-doings must be exposed and he should be tried in the court of law.”

The BJP leaders flashed pictures of AAP leaders who recently attended a wedding at Singla’s place. “If he was not a clean leader, why were the AAP leaders and Bhagwant Mann’s family members at his place?” they questioned.

Sheetal Angural, who has been claiming that he has audio evidences against AAP MLA Raman Arora, said he had handed over the audio clips to relevant persons. “The clips have not been made public by me, but they have reached where they should have ideally gone,” he said. The BJP leaders refuted that there were any talks of taking Arora into the AAP’s fold.

Vigilance Bureau releases official statement

The Vigilance Bureau (VB) today evening released a statement regarding Arora’s arrest. The bureau said on May 14, they received a joint complaint signed by three office-bearers of the Engineers and Building Designer Association, Jalandhar, alleging that Sukhdev Vashisht, Assistant Town Planner (ATP), Municipal Corporation (MC), often demanded illegal gratification from them. The complainants further said whenever the ATP went in the area under his jurisdiction, he threatened people that their buildings would be sealed and demolished. It was further alleged that the ATP had many files pending with him. It was found that Sukhdev Vashisht was posted in Pathankot in the substantive rank of senior draftsman, but held the additional charge of ATP, Jalandhar MC also. The accused had been continuously posted in Jalandhar, with small breaks in-between, from April 2022 till now. During search of the office premises and residence of the arrested ATP Sukhdev Vashisth, hundreds of official notices for unauthorised construction were recovered. Some of these notices did not have entry in the dispatch register. The VB release stated: “The arrested ATP, at the behest and in consultation with MLA Raman Arora, identified constructed or under-construction buildings, both commercial as well as residential, and served them notices for alleged violations. When building owners, or their representatives approached official concerned, he would direct them to the said MLA. The MLA would then settle the matter by taking illegal gratification. Upon receiving an affirmative message from the said MLA, the files were consigned by the accused ATP and no action initiated. Close to 75 to 80 such notices related to the said nexus have been recovered.”

Jalandhar