Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 29

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) spokesperson Virsa Singh Valtoha has accused the police of diluting a case of drug peddling against a man, said to be a Congress leader. Addressing mediapersons at a press conference, he said the police had recovered a half kg of heroin from Congress leader Guriqbal Singh, alias Roopa, but mentioned only two gm in its FIR, registered at the Gharinda police station.

Guriqbal Singh, a resident of Hoshiar Nagar, was arrested on September 26.

Valtoha showed several photographs of the accused with a number of Congress leaders, including Attari MLA Tarsem Singh DC, Cabinet Minister Tripat Rajinder Singh, MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Cabinet Minister Charanjit Channi, Partap Singh Bajwa and Cabinet Minister Inderbir Singh Bolaria.

Valtoha said, “Instead of curbing the menace of drugs, the Congress government in the state has been defaming the Akalis. The arrest of Roopa has exposed Capt Amarinder Singh and his government. It shows that they are patronising drug traders.”

The accused is the right hand of the Attari legislator, Valtoha asserted.

According to the senior SAD leader, the accused is a leader of the Youth Congress and block president of anti-narcotics cell of the party. “He is well connected and has close relations with senior Congress leaders. Capt Amrinder Singh took a pledge to eradicate drugs from Punjab, but Congress leaders are selling it,” he said, adding that a high-level inquiry must be ordered.

Gulzar Singh Ranike, leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal, was also present on the occasion.