Amarinder meets former media advisor in jail

Patiala, July 18 (UNI) Former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today came out in defence of his media advisor Bharat Inder Singh Chahal after meeting him in Patiala jail here.

The meeting took place in the Jail Superintendent's office this morning. It lasted for about 20 minutes.

He was accompanied by state Youth Congress President Vijay Inder Singla and his secretary Major Amardeep Singh. Chahal has been behind bars since the last one month and has been charged in an attempt to murder case and two cases of cheating and fraud and another case of disproportionate assets.

In the defence of Chahal, Capt Singh said that all cases against him were fabricated. He alleged that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and SAD acting president Sukhbir Singh Badal were responsible for the 'witch-hunt' against political opponents.

When asked about the three kg gold obtained from his lockers, the former CM said " this is all rubbish". He again blamed the Badal's for this charge and said that the Akalis only wanted revenge as during his tenure he had got a disproportionate assets case registered against the Badal family members.

Capt Singh further alleged Chahal had been tortured under detention and was being implicated in one case after the other so that he does not come out of prison to speak the truth.The state Vigilance Bureau was obeying all orders of the state government and getting cases filed against Chahal, he claimed.

He said that it was not only Chahal who had become a victim of the political vendetta of the Akalis, but former Congress MLA Jasbir Singh Dimpa too was harassed and tortured by the police. Various others MLAs and Congress leaders were being targeted by the SAD-BJP regime, he added.

Capt Singh further added that cases against Chahal were false and said it was rubbish that his former media advisor owned 150 flats in England.

When pointed out that other Congress leaders were keeping a distance from Chahal, the former CM said, "I am not concerned about the others, Chahal was my media adviser". He claimed that Chahal's detention would have no impact on his political career.

UNI