Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on Monday demanded an Enforcement Directorate (ED) and CBI probe against Ashok Kumar Pappi Prashar, the AAP MLA from Ludhiana Central.Majithia accused Prashar of “large-scale corruption, including money laundering by using the account of his personal assistant”.Addressing a press conference here, Majithia said, “Prashar used his personal assistant Nikhil Sabharwal as a front man to collect Rs 1.10 crore from 87 persons who were to be appointed on a contractual basis in the Ludhiana municipal corporation and 39 persons who were to be appointed as clerks.”Majithia alleged, “Forged lists were created to show candidates they had been selected, but when the scam was exposed, the MLA told his PA (personal assistant) to leave the city, or else he would be killed.”The SAD leader also claimed that “twice the MLA got the money deposited into his PA’s account and withdrew the same through his family members”.“On April 24, 2024, a building inspector from Ludhiana deposited Rs 30 lakh in the account of the MLA’s PA,” alleged the Akali leader. Following the earlier modus operandi, the MLA had Rs 15 lakh transferred into his account the very next day, while Rs 99,000 was transferred into his son’s account. The remaining amount was settled by raising fake bills,” he added.Majithia said Parashar “proved his closeness with the building inspector by recommending in writing that the latter’s transfer order to Jalandhar be revoked, and was successful in doing so”.The senior leader further claimed that the legislator got “a false case registered against Nikhil Sabharwal, who left his employment two years ago”.The SAD leader added, “Right now, the Ludhiana police are conducting raids at Nikhil’s house. It is clear. Nikhil cannot get justice under the present dispensation, and only a CBI probe can expose the corruption unleashed by Pappi Prashar.”Nikhil Sabharwal told the media that he “started working as Pappi Prashar’s PA in 2022 on a salary of Rs 13,000 per month” and that the MLA told him to “find people willing to be appointed in the municipal corporation”.Sabharwal alleged, “When Rs 1.10 crore was taken from these persons, and they did not get any job, they started hounding me, which forced me to sell my house for Rs 30 lakh to make part payments.”Pappi Prashar, when contacted, refuted all the allegations. The MLA said he would hold a detailed press conference on Tuesday to “present the truth”.Prashar said Sabharwal never served as his PA. He worked as an office assistant, serving water to the people who came to meet me, said the legislator.“He made a fake PA card. He was never my PA. He took money from three or four women using my name. Those who gave money but did not get the job were left with no choice but to file a police complaint against him. He even forged the corporation commissioner’s signature to produce fake appointment letters. I will hold a detailed press conference in this regard,” said Parashar.MSID:: 131020197 413 |
