AAP had recently constituted a two-member probe panel, head by Punjab co-ordinator Jarnail Singh and head of the grievance cell Jasbir Singh Bir, to look into the allegations against Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who has maintained he has "never taken money from anyone".
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday sent a notice to Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who was removed from the post of the party's Punjab convenor after a video clip surfaced showing him allegedly taking bribes in exchange for poll tickets. With the sacked leader drawing support from many in the party's Punjab unit, the AAP made it clear that violating party discipline would invite "strict action".
The party's six parliamentary zonal coordinators in Punjab have recently passed a resolution in support of Chhotepur. The AAP had recently constituted a two-member probe panel, headed by its Rajouri Garden (Delhi) MLA and Punjab co-ordinator Jarnail Singh and head of the grievance cell Jasbir Singh Bir, to look into the allegations against Chhotepur, who has maintained that in his 40-year-long political career, he has "never taken money from anyone".
"We have sought Chhotepur's reply after which the next course of action would be decided. We will take a decision in this regard shortly," Jarnail told a press conference here in the presence of Bir and the party's legal cell head Himmat Singh Shergill.
When reminded that a probe panel was formed earlier as well which had found Chhotepur "corrupt" and demanded that he be shown the door, Singh said, "I am heading the committee now. No one will face injustice."
Bir, who had reportedly called Chhotepur "corrupt" earlier, clarified his position saying, "When the issue (video clip) came to the fore, I was not aware that I would be a member of the probe panel." He claimed that Chhotepur has "admitted" to taking money in exchange for poll tickets.
"Chhotepur admitted that he took Rs 2 lakh and as per AAP guidelines, I signed it (recommendation for action against the leader). I admit that," Bir said.
Asked if he should sit in judgment against Chhotepur and continue in the probe panel when he had already formed an opinion about him, he said, "It is for the (AAP's) political affairs committee's wisdom to see." Asked if he had seen the video clip, Jarnail said he was indisposed due to ill health.
"The committee will start functioning from today. I have the CD. We need to look at it properly and carefully analyse all the evidence," he said.
Asked why was Chhotepur sacked even before the probe panel went through the contents of the CD, Jarnail said, "He has admitted that he has taken Rs 2 lakh. Prima facie it becomes a case."
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