Closure report filed in 2022 corruption case; political motives questioned amid Majithia arrest
By Satinder Bains
CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party's much-publicised zero-tolerance policy on corruption has come under scrutiny after the Punjab Police filed a closure report in the high-profile bribery case involving AAP MLA and former Health Minister Dr. Vijay Singla, who was arrested and dismissed from the cabinet in May 2022—barely two months after the party assumed power in the state.
The closure report, submitted in a Mohali court, states that no evidence was found against Singla or his OSD Pradeep Kumar in the alleged corruption case. The charges stemmed from a complaint by contractor Rajinder Singh, who had accused Singla of demanding a 2% commission amounting to ₹1.16 crore on public works contracts worth ₹58 crore. The complaint stated that the demand was made during a meeting at Punjab Bhawan in Chandigarh.
In a surprising turn, Rajinder Singh has now submitted a statement supporting the police’s findings, prompting speculation that he may have been pressured to retract his earlier allegations. The Mohali court is scheduled to hear the matter on July 14.
The development comes just a day after the arrest of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a disproportionate assets case—raising questions about the timing and political intent behind the closure report. Critics argue that Majithia’s arrest, conducted by police in civil dress, was orchestrated to revive the AAP government’s sagging image, particularly amid failures in tackling the drug menace, illegal mining, and a spate of illicit liquor tragedies in the state.
Notably, it was Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann who had dramatically announced Singla’s arrest two years ago, claiming he possessed "credible evidence" including WhatsApp messages and call recordings of the minister allegedly demanding bribes. Mann had also stated that Singla admitted to the charges in person and apologised before being handed over to Vigilance officials.
The incident was widely seen as a bold move, reinforcing AAP’s anti-corruption credentials and drawing comparisons with similar action taken by the party’s Delhi government. At the time, Mann had declared that his administration would not spare even party leaders if found guilty of corruption.
However, the clean chit has sparked outrage and raised serious concerns about political morality and institutional transparency. Observers are questioning whether the evidence cited by the CM was ever formally submitted to the Vigilance Bureau and how a self-confessed minister was later exonerated.
“Was it a genuine crackdown or a political gimmick? Was the CM under pressure from AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal to drop the case?” are some of the questions now dominating political circles.
Meanwhile, Singla, who was granted bail on July 6, 2022, has remained politically active. He has been seen at official functions alongside the Chief Minister, continues to operate from his office in his constituency, and was recently appointed to a Vidhan Sabha committee, signalling his quiet return to political favour.
As CM Mann reiterates his government's "zero-tolerance" rhetoric—most recently after Majithia’s arrest—critics argue that public trust in AAP’s anti-corruption agenda may be eroding, especially in light of its handling of its own ministers.
The unfolding events threaten to undermine AAP’s carefully cultivated image of clean governance and could have significant political repercussions ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.