After sparking a political controversy by claiming that BJP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal had shared the controversial video of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann with him, Canada-based NRI Jagmandeep Singh alias Jagman Samra has released two more video statements and challenged the Chief Minister to a live one-on-one debate.
Samra, who escaped from the custody of prison guards while undergoing treatment at Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot, on February 1, 2022, before allegedly fleeing to Canada via Nepal, claimed that he has connections in ‘Lutyens’ Delhi’, including access to the corridors of power around the residences of the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister.
Describing himself as a member of a Taksali Akali family, Samra said he has been familiar with Delhi’s political circles since the 1990s. He further alleged that he had received information that money was being offered to have him harmed.
“It is not difficult to get a person killed in America and Canada. People open fire just for merely 5000 dollars. I am not scared and not succumbing to pressure,” said Samra.
In an earlier video, Samra claimed that he and others who had received the viral clip approached a Jathedar and urged him to take cognisance of the matter. He further alleged that the Jathedar had contacted him, after which he assured him that the video had been examined by a forensic laboratory and that he could provide both the laboratory’s details and its report. However, Samra did not specify which Jathedar he was referring to.
Samra also claimed that he is the grandson of freedom fighter and former Akali MLA from Sangrur, Jagir Singh Phaguwalia.
The controversy took a significant turn on June 15 when the Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority of the Sikhs, issued an edict against Chief Minister Mann over the contents of the purported video. The directive followed Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj’s claim that two forensic laboratories had authenticated the video, which allegedly showed a man resembling the Chief Minister.
Soon afterwards, the Punjab Government also initiated a separate forensic examination of the video.
However, the case took another dramatic turn when Gurugram Police arrested two persons and alleged that the forensic report claiming the video’s authenticity had been fabricated.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), while announcing its Dharam Yudh Morcha beginning July 19, alleged that two Punjab Police officials had orchestrated the procurement of a fabricated forensic report and that the two accused arrested by Gurugram Police were paid Rs 10 lakh to obtain it.
Amid the escalating political confrontation, the Akal Takht has summoned Sikh MLAs from both the ruling party and the Opposition on June 29.
