AAP minister in Punjab quits after extortion plan audio goes viral

Chandigarh: Punjab Horticulture Minister Fauja Singh Sarari resigned from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s cabinet on Saturday, months after an audio clip surfaced in which he was allegedly heard hatching a plot to extort money from some contractors.

The audio clip showed him discussing his extortion plan with his OSD who later exposed him. After the viral audio, the Mann government came in for sharp criticism from the opposition. An inquiry was ordered and the audio was sent for forensic examination. The voice samples of the minister were tallied with the audio.

The minister had been claiming that the audio was “doctored” to malign him.

The Chief Minister is reported to have accepted the resignation. Sarari cited personal reasons for his resignation and said he will continue to remain a loyal soldier of the party.

The new minister is likely to be sworn in at Raj the Bhavan today.

A retired police constable, Sarari was elected to the Punjab Assembly from Guru Har Sahai in Ferozepur. He had defeated SAD candidate Vardev Singh by 10,574 votes.

Sarari is the second minister to quit the Punjab Cabinet after Dr. Vijay Singla who headed the Health Department, was sacked and arrested on corruption charges.

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