Rs 2000 Crore Mining Scam Claim Rocks Punjab Politics

Chandigarh, October 27: Punjab's political temperature rose sharply after Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party of protecting a mining mafia that he said was looting the state. Majithia named Dinesh Chadha, Harjot Bains and Bachittar Singh as those providing patronage to the racket, and said they were close to Manish Sisodia, Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann.

Majithia's remarks came in a video message in which he referred to Manjit Singh, who had reportedly spoken live from the land of Sri Anandpur Sahib about his pain. Majithia said Manjit Singh had made major allegations against Dinesh Chadha and that the matter needed a thorough probe by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate.

He also targeted OSD Rajvir, alleging that a Shaheed-e-Azam programme held in Ludhiana had led to the looting of crores of rupees. Majithia said Rajvir had faced charges of sending money abroad, and claimed that similar charges now hung over Dinesh Chadha.

Majithia further claimed that illegal mining was widespread in Amritsar, Pathankot and Gurdaspur. He said that in the Anandpur Sahib area, mining mafia were collecting money from every machine, crusher and mining site. He sought CBI investigations into Dinesh Chadha, Harjot Bains, Bachittar Singh, OSD Rajvir and Rajvir's brother Angad.

According to Majithia, the money earned from mining was being channelled through the AAP office to Manish Sisodia, Arvind Kejriwal, Satyendra Jain and Bhagwant Mann. He also alleged that AAP leaders intended to contest elections using black money and that funds were being moved abroad through hawala. He said all these issues deserved scrutiny.

In a post on X, Majithia wrote that the Rs 2000 crore chittha of the mining mafia had been exposed. He said a worker of his own party, Kale, had revealed the mafia's workings at Sri Anandpur Sahib. He linked the racket to OSD Rajvir and claimed that Rajvir's brother Angad was involved in the Ravi river mining operations, where even the Army was reportedly raising questions.

Majithia concluded by demanding a CBI inquiry into the whole scheme. He claimed that the mining mafia was sending looted money abroad and alleged that Bhagwant Mann had fled to France amid riots. He said this was the truth about the mining mafia linked to Kejriwal, Sisodia, Jain and Mann.

The allegations remain unverified, and no official response has been included in this report.