Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday gave an ultimatum to the former chief minister of Punjab, Charanjit Singh Channi, to make public the name of his nephew who sought Rs two Crore for a government job or he (Mann) will reveal all the details of the case to prove the allegation.
Channi, however, dared Mann to register a case against him if there was a case of corruption or depravity against him.
The Congress leader said he has asked his nephews and none of them have any idea about the claims made by the Punjab CM.
“I have given jobs to thousands as technical education and employment generation minister during the previous Congress government. He (Mann) is citing the case of a person who neither paid the bribe nor did anyone receive it. The CM should rather ask thousands of people who have been given jobs and postings by me,” Channi said while addressing a Press conference.
The Congress leader said he comes from a humble background and faced a lot of hardships for pursuing education.
“I have never indulged in corruption and have studied with lots of hardships on sports scholarships as a handball player. So I know the respect I have for players. Ask hockey players, I gave them jobs, why didn’t I ask them to meet my nephew if I wanted bribes,” the former CM said.
Channi said Mann is raising this issue every day in the media as the Aam Aadmi Party intends to put him in jail.
“I ask him (CM) to show a bit of honesty and sincerity for the sake of the people of Punjab. Put me in jail if I have taken money for a job. I have taken the oath at the gurudwara that I have not asked anyone to take money. I have not sent anyone (to a relative) to pay the money,” he added.
In a tweet earlier this afternoon, Mann said, “Respectfully Charanjit Channi ji I am giving you an opportunity till May 31st, 2 pm to make public all the information about your nephew asking for bribe from a sportsperson for a job …or then on 31 May at 2 pm. I will reveal the photos…name and meeting place. I will put everything in front of Punjab (sic).”
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 Congress removed Amarinder as CM in 2021 and replaced him with Channi. The CM said when this player went to Channi, with a 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 rwo lakh, Channi’s nephew abused him, because the nephew said he meant Rs two crore, not Rs two lakh.