Chandigarh, 16 August 2020 ( Wishavwarta)-While welcoming the decision of Hon’ble Punjab & Haryana High Court for handing over the preliminary investigation of ‘Goonda Tax’ collected by Sand Mafia by openly putting up barricades on roads, Aam AAdmi Party Punjab President and Member Parliament said that this notorious trade has been flourishing rampantly since 2007 therefore it is imperative to bring the period starting from at least 2007 to till date under investigation.
In a statement released from party headquarters, Bhagwant Mann said that Hon’ble Punjab & Haryana High Court has been constrained to step into the matter as the present Amarinder Singh’s government has also patronised all sort of mafia including sand mafia on the lines of previous Badal Government. That is why the ‘Royal’ government is misleading the courts by submitting false statements regarding illegal barricades for collecting ‘Goonda Tax’. Photographs and videos presented by the Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Ropar has not only exposed the lies of Amarinder Singh government but also vindicated the stand of Aam Aadmi Party regarding direct patronage of Badals and Raja to the sand mafia. While demanding a timebound investigation, Bhagwant Mann said that a keen and elaborative investigation should be carried out entailing the previous tenure of SAD-BJP till the present government and Hon’ble High Court must oversee the CBI investigation.
Bhagwant Mann demanded that all MLAs, ministers, former ministers of both SAD-BJP and Congress as well as the concerned officers of the districts which have been affected by the sand mafia should be made a part of this investigation