New Delhi [India], June 24 (ANI): Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Wednesday called for Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's arrest, raising strong objections over a purported video allegedly showing the desecration of Sikh Guru photos, claiming that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal remained silent on the issue.
He also alleged arrests and cases against those who submitted a forensic report, calling it an attempt to suppress a matter hurting Sikh sentiments.
"Bhagwant Mann remained silent, Arvind Kejriwal also remained silent, and today the arrests and case filed against those who provided this forensic report were made...The way such a grave sin has been committed, and the attempt to suppress it with the help of money and the police, has been challenged. Sikh authorities, the dignity of Sikhs, and the sentiments of Sikhs have been challenged...When will a case be filed against Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann? When will Bhagwant Mann be arrested in this case?" Sirsa said while addressing a press conference.
Meanwhile, the Gurugram Police had apprehended two accused for allegedly fabricating the forensic report in the viral video case allegedly linked to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Gurugram Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Crime, Naveen Sharma said.
According to the police officials, the accused received Rs 10 lakh from Punjab officials for allegedly fabricating the video.
ACP Naveen Sharma told the reporters on Tuesday, "The Gurgaon Police received a complaint. We have taken two individuals into custody; an interrogation is currently underway. One suspect has been identified as Ankit, a cyber-expert working with the NIA on a contract basis; the other individual is named Arun. The complaint pertains to a viral video that they had fraudulently created and circulated. They did not operate out of any government-recognised laboratory. They fabricated a video featuring the Chief Minister of our neighbouring state. We have detained them for this act, and the investigation is ongoing.
"They stated that they were given Rs 10 lakh for this task, and indicated that certain officials from the neighbouring state were also involved. Whatever further details emerge from the ongoing investigation will be discussed and verified with a forensic expert."
The probe into the case is underway.
After the Akal Takht summoned Bhagwant Mann over the viral video, disrespecting the Sikh Gurus, he termed it a "well-planned conspiracy" against him and said that the person in the controversial video is not him.
The Punjab CM had said that the individual present in the video is an actor who looks like him. He further underlined that the Director General of Police (DGP) have been instructed to identify and arrest the accused.
In a video message issued on June 19, Mann said, "It is not me in the viral video, but an actor who looks like me. 1,191 frames were examined during the forensic analysis; not a single frame matches me. A well-planned conspiracy was hatched to defame me. Instructions have been issued to the DGP to identify the conspirators and take action against them. The guilty will be apprehended and brought back from any corner of the world."
The Akal Takht, led by acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, has directed the Sikh community to shun ties with Mann over the controversy surrounding the video. (ANI)
