In more trouble for the Aam Aadmi Party leadership in Punjab, a group of AAP volunteers have produced an audio clip to allege that a party observer had sexually exploited a housemaid.

AAP's youth wing in-charge in Sunam town in Sangrur district, Ravinder Singh Dhillon, who led the volunteers, claimed that instead of taking action, the party leadership tried to "hush up" the case. The volunteers alleged that money was paid to bury the matter and this resulted in no formal complaint against the party leader.

BCCL

Dhillon circulated the audio clip among reporters on Tuesday, claiming it has a local AAP volunteer (who was earlier a ticket aspirant from Sunam) speaking to the survivor and asking her not to bring a bad name to the party by giving a written statement against the AAP leader.

Also Read: ‘Sex CD’: Trouble Mounts For Sacked AAP Minister, Crime Branch Begins Probe Into ‘Objectionable’ Video

Despite repeated attempts, the AAP leader in question could not be contacted for comments. Meanwhile, AAP has ordered an internal probe into the allegations.

In another development, SSP Pritpal Singh Thind said that since the alleged crime took place in Dhuri, they would try to trace the woman in question and arrest the AAP functionary if the survivor gave a statement against him.

Dhillon alleged that after the issue was brought to the party leadership's notice, the AAP observer was transferred to another place but no action was taken against him.

PTI

He claimed that several other party volunteers, some of them holding positions in the frontal organisations of the party, were aware of the issue. AAP's in-charge of Punjab affairs, Sanjay Singh, said he was not aware of the issue.

"Whatever audio you have, the party will get it examined. I don't know if the lady comes forward to make the charges. I certainly know the leader in question... Any allegation has to be backed by evidence," he said.

Last week, AAP's former coordinator of state finance committee Hardip Singh Kingra, had accused the party leadership of demanding Rs 5 lakh per month from aspirants keen on climbing the political ladder in the organisation. He released an audio clip where a "close aide" of party's national organising secretary Durgesh Pathak is allegedly heard offering such a meeting with the latter in return for the amount.

BCCL

Refuting the charges, AAP Punjab unit spokesperson Himmat Singh Shergill said there was no evidence to substantiate the charges.

The Sunam audio comes close on the heels on an AAP MLA in Delhi, Sandeep Kumar, being thrown out of the party after a sex tape was leaked in the media.

Also Read: Arrested AAP MLA Has Exploited More Women In The Past, Says Delhi Police