Fauja Singh Sarari resigns as Punjab Cabinet Minister

By PTI

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Minister Fauja Singh Sarari resigned from the Cabinet on Saturday, months after he was embroiled in an argument over an audio clip through which he allegedly mentioned methods to “trap” some contractors with a view to “extort” cash.

Sarari has resigned from the cabinet of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, confirmed a senior chief of the ruling Aam Admi Party (AAP).

AAP’s Punjab unit spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang mentioned Sarari has resigned from the cabinet, citing “personal reasons”.

Sources mentioned Patiala Rural MLA Dr Balbir Singh was prone to exchange Sarari, who held portfolios together with horticulture and meals processing.

A purported audio clip of an alleged dialog between Sarari and his former shut aide, discussing methods to “trap” some contractors concerned in meals grain transportation by some officers to “extort money” from them, had surfaced in September.

Sarari (61), a retired policeman, was elected to the Punjab Assembly from Guru Har Sahai in Ferozepur.

He had defeated SAD candidate Vardev Singh by 10,574 votes.

Earlier in May, barely two months after the AAP had stormed to energy successful 92 of the 117 meeting seats in Punjab, Health Minister Vijay Singla had been sacked from the state cabinet over alleged graft costs.

Opposition events within the state had been demanding Sarari’s sacking and arrest. He, nonetheless, had rubbished allegations in opposition to him.

The Congress and the BJP had questioned why the AAP authorities had not taken motion in opposition to him after the audio clip surfaced about 4 months in the past.

After the arrest of former Punjab minister Sunder Sham Arora final yr by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau for allegedly providing a bribe of Rs 50 lakh to one in every of its officers to assist him settle circumstances in opposition to him, the opposition had accused the AAP authorities of adopting double requirements over the problem of corruption and requested why Sarari was not being arrested within the audio clip subject.

Arora was a minister within the Congress authorities and had joined the BJP in June final yr.

In July 2022, the Bhagwant Mann authorities had carried out its first cabinet enlargement inducting 5 celebration legislators, together with Sarari.

After that, the power of the state cabinet had reached 15, together with the chief minister.

There are 18 berths within the cabinet, together with the chief minister.

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Minister Fauja Singh Sarari resigned from the Cabinet on Saturday, months after he was embroiled in an argument over an audio clip through which he allegedly mentioned methods to “trap” some contractors with a view to “extort” cash.

Sarari has resigned from the cabinet of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, confirmed a senior chief of the ruling Aam Admi Party (AAP).

AAP’s Punjab unit spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang mentioned Sarari has resigned from the cabinet, citing “personal reasons”.

Sources mentioned Patiala Rural MLA Dr Balbir Singh was prone to exchange Sarari, who held portfolios together with horticulture and meals processing.

A purported audio clip of an alleged dialog between Sarari and his former shut aide, discussing methods to “trap” some contractors concerned in meals grain transportation by some officers to “extort money” from them, had surfaced in September.

Sarari (61), a retired policeman, was elected to the Punjab Assembly from Guru Har Sahai in Ferozepur.

He had defeated SAD candidate Vardev Singh by 10,574 votes.

Earlier in May, barely two months after the AAP had stormed to energy successful 92 of the 117 meeting seats in Punjab, Health Minister Vijay Singla had been sacked from the state cabinet over alleged graft costs.

Opposition events within the state had been demanding Sarari’s sacking and arrest. He, nonetheless, had rubbished allegations in opposition to him.

The Congress and the BJP had questioned why the AAP authorities had not taken motion in opposition to him after the audio clip surfaced about 4 months in the past.

After the arrest of former Punjab minister Sunder Sham Arora final yr by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau for allegedly providing a bribe of Rs 50 lakh to one in every of its officers to assist him settle circumstances in opposition to him, the opposition had accused the AAP authorities of adopting double requirements over the problem of corruption and requested why Sarari was not being arrested within the audio clip subject.

Arora was a minister within the Congress authorities and had joined the BJP in June final yr.

In July 2022, the Bhagwant Mann authorities had carried out its first cabinet enlargement inducting 5 celebration legislators, together with Sarari.

After that, the power of the state cabinet had reached 15, together with the chief minister.

There are 18 berths within the cabinet, together with the chief minister.