Chandigarh— A major controversy has erupted in Punjab following accusations of a substantial financial scandal linked to the state’s vehicle procurement. Manjinder Singh Sirsa, a prominent figure in Delhi’s government and a national secretary for the BJP, has claimed a ₹14.5 crore scam in the acquisition of 144 Toyota Hilux vehicles. These vehicles were purchased by the Punjab Police for its recently established ‘Sadak Surakhya Force,’ a specialized unit dedicated to road safety. The allegations, made on Friday, point towards serious financial irregularities within the state administration.
The Heart of the Matter: Unaccounted Discounts
At the core of Mr. Sirsa’s complaint is the striking absence of discounts on this bulk purchase. He highlighted that typically, individuals buying these particular models often benefit from price reductions of up to ₹10 lakh per vehicle. Given this common practice, the fact that no discount was recorded for a purchase of 144 vehicles, according to Mr. Sirsa, is highly suspicious. He asserted that this oversight resulted in a direct and significant loss of ₹14.5 crore to the state’s financial resources, suggesting it was part of a “cash deal scam” deliberately concealed from official records.
Political Pressure and Demands for Action
The accusations have swiftly placed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab Government under intense scrutiny. Mr. Sirsa directly called upon Arvind Kejriwal, the national convener of the AAP, urging him to intervene. He stressed that it is Mr. Kejriwal’s “moral and political responsibility” to ensure accountability, especially since the Punjab government operates under his party’s direct influence. Furthermore, Mr. Sirsa criticized the silence maintained by both the Punjab Chief Minister and the state’s Director General of Police, suggesting their lack of response only deepened public suspicion and hinted at a potential cover-up of the alleged irregularities.
Calls for Immediate Inquiry and Accountability
Mr. Sirsa firmly stated that his allegations are not driven by political rivalry but are based on “substantiated evidence of financial misconduct involving taxpayers’ money.” He emphasized that the issue is fundamentally about “transparency and trust in governance.” He has demanded that the Punjab Government initiate a prompt, impartial investigation into the alleged scam. As a stern warning, Mr. Sirsa declared that if a transparent probe is not launched within a specified timeframe, he would formally file a complaint with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to ensure that those responsible for the alleged misappropriation are held accountable.