Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann presented a former cricketer, Jassinder Singh Baidwan, in a press conference on Wednesday, accusing his predecessor Charanjit Singh Channi of demanding a bribe for a job. Mann’s move came days after he urged Channi to publicly disclose information regarding a reported bribe of Rs 2 crore sought from a player. Mann also announced his intention to provide Jassinder with a job.
Jassinder, a former Ranji Trophy player, had previously applied for a job via the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) under the sports quota. Mann, backed by Jassinder and his father Manjinder Singh during the press conference, claimed that during Channi’s tenure as Chief Minister, Jassinder had been referred to Channi’s nephew, Jashan, for a job. Images were presented allegedly showing Channi with Jassinder at Punjab Bhawan during Channi’s term as Chief Minister.
Mann narrated an alleged incident where Jassinder and his father met with Jashan, who gestured that securing a job would cost them Rs 2 crore. The father-son duo returned with Rs 2 lakh, only to be told that the required amount was significantly higher.
According to Mann, the duo was then led to Channi, who questioned why he should give Jassinder a job. Allegedly present at the scene was the then MLA of Mohali, Balbir Singh Sidhu. The Chief Minister stated that Jassinder’s tale came to him during an IPL match at Dharamshala, where he learned that the cricketer had scored higher than the cut-off for the PPSC exam under the sports quota but failed to secure a job due to his inability to pay the alleged bribe.
Channi, meanwhile, has categorically denied these allegations. During a press conference, flanked by his nephew Dr. Jashan Singh, Channi emphasized that his nephew is a doctor preparing for an MD entrance exam and has no involvement in his professional life.The case continues to unfold as Mann assures of taking action against Channi based on these allegations, potentially deepening political rifts within Punjab’s leadership.
