Today, Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira was apprehended by Punjab law enforcement on suspicion of being involved in drug trafficking and money laundering. In an early morning operation, a Punjab Police team descended upon Khaira's residence and carried out a search related to an old case registered in 2015 under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Jalalabad, Fazilka.
The primary allegations against Khaira encompass aiding an international network of smugglers, providing them refuge, and receiving financial gains from drug traffickers. According to the investigative agency's formal charges, the received funds were purportedly used for acquiring properties. Between 2014 and 2020, Khaira is said to have expended more than ₹6.5 crore on himself and his family, surpassing his officially declared income.
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Interestingly, at the time of the police's arrival at his residence, the Congress leader was conducting a Facebook Live session. The video captures Khaira engaging in a heated exchange with the police. In the video, a police official, DSP Achru Ram Sharma, informs Khaira about the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with an old drug trafficking case.
During the video recording, Khaira can also be seen shouting slogans of "Punjab Sarkar murdabad" (Down with the Punjab government) as the police officers take him into custody. This arrest is likely to strain the already fragile relationship between the AAP and the Congress, which had previously joined forces to establish the INDIA alliance. The state chapter of the Congress has expressed its opposition to any collaboration or sharing of electoral seats with the AAP in Punjab.
