CHANDIGARH – The Punjab Police have begun investigations into the “fake insertion” in the transcripts of log books maintained by its Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). The case has taken a curious turn with Congress spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira now claiming that the documents were provided to him by former DGP Shashi Kant.
Sources in the Punjab Police told The Tribune that the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Sangrur, had started a probe into the “forging” of transcripts by former Intelligence officer Swaran Gandhi. Gandhi has reportedly confessed before the investigating team that he had forged the transcripts and prepared them in a format similar to that of the original handwritten call logs of the number ( belonging to a Hoshiarpur-based forex trader, but in use by his driver).
The number was being monitored as the police suspected the user to be a part of a bigger hawala racket in North India.
“Gandhi admits that he prepared and supplied the forged transcripts to Khaira, but denies having inserted the telephone number of state Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia in the forged transcripts.
Even as the police investigation is under way, the Opposition has come out in support of Khaira.
Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa has cautioned Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal against “harassing” Khaira. “This is a malicious campaign to scuttle Khaira’s campaign against Majithia,” he said. People’s Party of Punjab chief Manpreet Singh Badal said the government had double standards.
He said while it was defending one political leader, it had accepted the resignation of another (former Minister for Jails Sarwan Singh Phillaur). Manpreet condemned the efforts of the Punjab Police to muffle Khaira’s voice.
The entry of Majithia’s phone number has been made in the call log entry dated April 18, 2011.
In the original call log, the log mentions the date of the call, the name of the receiver (as Pabla) and an amount of Rs 70 lakh as having been routed via hawala through a sender in Chandigarh.
There is no mention of the address or the phone number. However, the call log transcript released to the press by Khaira on July 17, which the police claim is forged, mentions all other details as in the original call log, but with one addition, Majithia’s phone number.
