Official accommodation for ministers in Chandigarh being used for AAP activities, claims Cong MLA

Congress legislator and ex-AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Sunday urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Central government to take cognizance of gross misuse of official accommodation in Chandigarh meant for ministers of the Punjab government being used as Aam Aadmi Party office for political activities. 

He alleged that an official accommodation in Sector 39, which is meant for ministers, was being used for AAP's activities.

"I urge the @ECISVEEP of India and the @BJP4India government to take cognizance of gross misuse of official accommodation #965 Sector 39 Chandigarh meant for Ministers of Punjab Government for being used as @AamAadmiParty office for political activities allotted to them by the @BhagwantMann government !"

“This is not violation of the rules and regulations established by the constitution but also a violation of the Model Code of Conduct by Election Commission of India,” he wrote on microblogging site X.

He also attached a copy of an AAP circular dated March 14 issued from the "965 Circuit House, Sector 39 A, Chandigarh" in support of his claim.

The Election Commission should seriously consider appropriate action against this violation, added Khaira, whose house in Chandigarh worth Rs 3.82 crore was attached by the Enforcement Directorate last week as part of a probe into a drug trafficking-linked money laundering case against him and some others.

"The ED has provisionally attached proceeds of crime (POC) to the extent of Rs 3.82 crore in the form of an immovable property -- a residential house (House No 6, Sector 5, Chandigarh) of Sukhpal Singh Khaira under the PMLA-2002. The order was issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on March 8,” the ED said in a statement on March 11.

Responding to the seizure of his property, Khaira wrote X, “I’ve just learnt through the media that the ED has attached my Chandigarh residence about which I want to clarify that I have received no notice about this from ED or any other government source.

“This is nothing but pure character assassination and political witch hunt on part of the BJP and Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government,” he said.

Khaira was arrested by the ED as part of an investigation in November 2021 and was granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 27, 2022.