Badal lambasts Amarinder for criticising CBI raids

Chandigarh, Apr 15 (UNI) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Parkash Singh Badal today strongly condemned Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh for issuing statements against the CBI for raiding senior IAS officers of the Punjab cadre in connection with a serious corruption case.

''This action of the Chief Minister is totally illegal, unconstitutional and irresponsible,'' said Mr Badal in a statement issued here.

Mr Badal said by issuing such ''irresponsible statements'', the Chief Minister was trying to influence the course of the investigation. ''This is a direct interference in the working of the premier investigating agency of the country,'' he said.

He said that instead of helping the CBI, the chief minister has preferred to hamper the investigation. He said that this has exposed the so-called anti-corruption drive of Capt Amarinder Singh.

Giving reasons for this irrational behaviour of the state chief minister, Mr Badal said, ''the chief minister himself is neck deep in corruption. So when any independent inquiry is held in any case of corruption, he becomes apprehensive of his own misdeeds''.

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