‘Offered `5 crore to join BJP’: FIR filed based on AAP MLA’S complaint

AMID ALLEGATIONS by ruling AAP in Punjab that the BJP was trying to poach its MLAS ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2024, the Ludhiana police have registered an FIR on the complaint of AAP’S Ludhiana South MLA Rajinderpal Kaur Chhina.

The FIR, a copy of which is with The Indian Express, states that Chhina was “offered Rs 5 crore to leave AAP, promised a meeting with BJP big wigs in Delhi and also offered a ticket for Member of Parliament.”

Police sources said that as per the phone numbers submitted by Chhina (with country code +46) from which she allegedly received the calls, the calls were from Sweden. However, Chhina told police that the caller, Sewak Singh, who had identified himself as a BJP worker and against whom the FIR has been registered, had claimed that he was in Delhi.

The FIR is based on Chhina's complaint titled “illegal act of offering bribe to sitting AAP MLA of Ludhiana South for leaving her party and to join BJP using illegal means and threats by a representative of BJP from Delhi namely Sewak Singh.”

“The complainant received a call... in which the caller identified himself as Sewak Singh from the BJP Delhi office. The said person openly offered Rs 5 crore to the complainant to leave AAP and join BJP,” reads the FIR. Chhina has also demanded additional security cover till LS elections.

Additional DCP-2 Dev Singh said that the matter was being investigated. "Prima facie the call might have been made using Sweden number but nothing could be said with certainty yet," said the officer. Jaibans Singh, chief spokesperson, BJP Punjab, said: “First, we do not know any person named Sewak Singh is a part of our party. We would like the police to investigate the matter.”