Channi to file defamation case against Kejriwal over ‘dishonest man’ comment

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Friday said he would file a defamation case against AAP leader Arvind Kejirwal, who allegedly dubbed him a dishonest man after the ED carried out raids in the state, including at the premises of the Congress leader’s nephew.

Channi alleged that Kejriwal was in the habit of levelling accusations to malign the image of others and that in the past it was seen how he had to later apologise to BJP leaders Nitin Gadkari, late Arun Jaitley and SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia.

Speaking to reporters in his constituency of Chamkaur Sahib, he claimed that Kejriwal has now crossed acceptable limits and that he has requested his party for permission to file a defamation case against the AAP leader. “I will file a defamation case against Kejriwal and have requested my party to give permission to do so. I am compelled to do this…he is dubbing me as dishonest and he has put that on his Twitter handle,” he said.

Opposition parties, particularly the AAP, have stepped up attacks on Channi and the Congress in the wake of the Enforcement Directorate raids.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal had said that Channi will be defeated in his Chamkaur Sahib seat in next month’s assembly polls, while stressing that people were shocked to see crores of rupees being seized from the home of Channi’s nephew. Asked to comment on this, Channi replied, “Now, what has happened, money has been (seized) from someone else, raids are conducted on someone else, but he (Kejriwal) is dubbing me as dishonest by putting photos showing bundles of notes (seized during ED raids) with my photo over social media.”

“He is calling me dishonest…did he call himself dishonest when his nephew was caught?” asked Channi.

“Why photos of bundles of notes with my photos on social media accounts? Which money came to me, what is my fault in this?. Why are you dragging me into this? Some money of someone else seized…there was a raid at ten places in Punjab, why are you linking me with this. Had money been seized from me, ED would have conducted raids at my house, arrested me, questioned me,” said Channi, seeking to clarify his position vis-a-vis accusations levelled by the opposition after his nephew was raided.

The Delhi chief minister had on Wednesday said Channi is not a common man but a “dishonest man” as he sought to corner the Congress leader over the ED raids.

The ED on Wednesday said it seized cash amounting to over Rs 10 crore, including about Rs 8 crore from a relative of Channi’s, during raids conducted in connection with an anti-money laundering investigation against illegal sand mining operations in the poll-bound state.