The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday urged Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit to recommend a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into illegal mining in the state.

The SAD president, Sukhbir Singh Badal, who led a high level party delegation to meet the Governor and submit a memorandum in this regard, alleged Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators were indulging in rampant illegal mining across the state and causing a huge loss to the ecology as well as loss to the state exchequer besides suffering to the common man.

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Giving details of the case regarding Khadoor Sahib legislator Manjinder Singh Lalpura, the SAD president told the Governor Lalpura’s brother-in-law Nishan Singh was arrested for indulging in illegal mining along the Indo-Pak border.

He said that instead of further action against the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) who was the kingpin in the case, the AAP government had transferred the then Tarn Taran SSP Gurmeet Singh Chauhan and suspended five cops in the case.

Badal said this was done despite the fact that the police officer was a decorated police officer known for his honesty and integrity and was under direct threat from National Intelligence Agency (NIA) designated terrorists Lakhbir Landa and Harwinder Rinda.

The SAD delegation told the Governor that the MLA’s brother in law was not kept in jail for a single day and received VIP treatment in hospital during his period of arrest.

The SAD said all this happened despite people coming out openly against Nishan Singh and producing pictures and videos to prove that the latter indulged in illegal mining on a regular basis.

The delegation disclosed that pictures of Nishan’s house where JCB machines and other mining equipment were parked regularly were in the public realm. The delegation urged that CCTV cameras in the area should also be examined as well as statements by villagers that the MLA was using his police escort vehicle and his security personnel to indulge in illegal mining.

Calling for a CBI probe into illegal mining in the state, Badal alleged the truth was that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal were the real kingpins of illegal mining in Punjab and were using the money collected to expand the reach of the AAP in other states.

“They have chieftains in different areas like Harjot Bains who is incharge of the mafia in Ropar and Manjinder Singh Lalpura who heads the mafia in Tarn Taran. This is the reason why when an honest cop like SSP Gurmeet Singh Chauhan tries to instill the rule of law and comes in the way of the mafia he is shunted out to send across a message that no one should try to stop illegal mining in Punjab,” the SAD