Even as Charanjit Singh Channi denied the charge of seeking Rs 2 crore from a cricket player for a government job under sports quota through a relative, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said the former CM should ask his family members to find out the truth or he will have no place to hide once he (Mann) proves the allegation by bringing the cricketer forward to back his claim.

After the Punjab CM on Monday accused the former CM of seeking Rs 2 crore for a government job, the Congress leader hit back at Mann for levelling false allegations against him. He said he never took money for jobs or transfers through his nephew.

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“CM Bhagwant Mann is lying. They (Aam Aadmi Party government) are trying to send me to jail at any cost. The CM is misusing the Vigilance Bureau. They are trying to get false statements from people. You (Mann) keep making your effort against me but I am not scared. We gave a job to a female sportsperson who was deaf and dumb, and also gave jobs to hockey players who brought medals. Go and ask them if we had taken a single penny from them for giving a job,” said Channi.

Responding to Chenni’s defence, Mann said on Tuesday that he would not reveal the name of the Punjab cricketer from whom the money was sought. “But Channi should have asked his nephew if he demanded the money without asking him. Maybe they (his family) didn’t inform him, that’s why Rs Eight Crore were found at his (nephew’s) residence,” he added.

Channi’s nephew Bhupinder Singh Honey was in February 2022 arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an illegal mining case and Rs Eight Crore cash was found from his residence in Ludhiana and Mohali.

Going a step further, Mann advised Channi to take three-four days to find out the truth before claiming innocence in the case. “If I bring the player forward (from whom the money was sought), he  (Channi) will have no place to hide.  So it will be better if he keeps his mouth shut.  But we will investigate what was the meaning of two (alleged reference to Rs Two Crore). That’s what Punjab’s player told me. Maybe his nephew is not under his control, that’s why Rs Eight crore was found at his residence,” the Punjab CM added.

Addressing a gathering at Dirba in Sangrur on Monday, the CM had said recently when he went to watch a cricket match in Dharamshala, a Punjab player told him that he had applied for a job in the sports quota and approached then CM, Captain Amarinder Singh, for the same.

Mann said the player was told by Captain Amarinder that he will get the job. But then the Congress removed Amarinder as CM in 2021 and replaced him with Channi. The CM said when this player went to Channi, with the similar request for the job, he was told to meet his nephew.Mann said when the player met Channi’s nephew, the latter told him it would take “two”. The CM said the player thought he was saying Rs Two lakh for the job.

Mann claimed when the player reached the nephew with Rs Two lakh, Channi’s nephew abused him, because the nephew said he meant Rs Two Crore not Rs Two lakh. The CM said Channi’s nephew used to seek Rs Two Crore for every job but still these people (Channi) say that they  are poor. “When the Vigilance (Bureau) goes to their (Channi’s) house, it is said that the vigilance is going to the house of the poor. Has vigilance ever gone to the homes of the poor ? ,” he asked.