AMRITSAR: A video showing a man resembling the president of the 115-year-old Sikh institution, Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD), Charanjit Singh Chadha, making sexual advances towards a woman has shocked Panthic and academic circles.The video, which went viral on the Internet shows a man resembling Chief Khalsa Diwan president Chadha making sexual advances to a woman, believed to be principal of one of schools under the management of institutions, and taking selfies. The video was allegedly recorded in one of Chadha’s hotels on June 20.Chadha denied being in the video and said a few people had been blackmailing him for the past four to five months, threatening to defame him and damage his profession.Chadha is also vice-president of Khalsa College Governing Council (KCGC), headed by Satyajit Singh Majithia. Reacting to the video, former secretary, CKD Bhag Singh Ankhi said, “This is a genuine video recorded in the CCTV camera of Chadha’s hotel office. I am very upset about it. What message will it give to students, teachers, parents and society as such?”Ankhi, Chadha’s bête-noir, remained CKD secretary for 20 years. Demanding Chadha’s resignation, he said, “It will be better if he tendered a resignation on moral grounds or else parents and teachers will take to the roads, which will bring more shame on him and damage the reputation of one of Sikhs’ most important religious and educational institute.”Chadha denied being in the video and said a few people had been blackmailing him for the past four to five months, threatening to defame him and damage his profession.“They used to make threatening calls to me. One day, I was in Jalandhar when I received a call from them. I went to the Model Town police station and lodged a complaint. Police arrested a few of them, one is my employee, who has also been arrested,” he said, adding that they had extorted around Rs 20,000 from him.Chadha claimed that his employee Gursewak Singh is under the protection of some ‘higher-ups’ who are jealous of him and want to defame him by implicating him in a case. “They forged the video and released it,” he said.CKD secretary M S Khurana said, “I have seen the video. This is Chadha’s personal matter and Chief Khalsa Diwan has nothing to do with it.” However, he said he would convene a meeting of office-bearers in a day or two.CKD additional secretary, advocate Jaswinder Singh said, “I am very sad about this incident and all I can say is that CKD will take action collectively.”Khalsa College Governing Council secretary Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina said he had not seen the video so far but had heard about it. “I will talk to the KCGC president and if the video is genuine, we will take strict action,” he said.CKD member Amarjit Singh has written to the Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh to summon Chadha over the alleged video.‘Attempt to tarnish image’In the evening, Chadha issued a press note from the official e-mail id of the Chief Khalsa Diwan, with the subject, “Clarification of President CKD.” It reads, “It has come to my notice that a false video is being made viral on social media by certain mischievous elements. It is brought to the notice of all concerned that a false video with an intention to extract money from me was made in connivance with certain political opponents of mine. The video is totally false and has been made viral to spoil my image because I refused to pay ransom to blackmailers.”CKD runs 55 institutionsFounded in 1902, Chief Khalsa Diwan is a central Sikh organisation comprising various Singh Sabhas spread all across Punjab , to promote the aspirations and redress grievances of Sikh people, settle their religious differences and channelise Sikh public opinion. Its primary aim is to promote the spiritual, intellectual, moral, social, educational and economic welfare of the Sikhs and safeguard their political rights by making the government aware of their problems, needs and grievances. At present, the Chief Khalsa Diwan has over 55 institutions, including schools, colleges, hospitals and an orphanage. Nearly 40,000 students are enrolled in its institutions.