Mann Dares Former CM Channi to ‘Voluntarily’ Reveal Facts on Cricketer Bribery Allegation by May 31

The war of words between Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his Congress predecessor Charanjit Singh Channi escalated on Thursday, with Mann setting a deadline to come clean on the allegation that Channi’s nephew had demanded Rs 2 crore from a cricketer for a government job.

Mann in his latest tweet dared former CM Channi to reveal details of the alleged bribery deal. “Respectfully, Charanjit Channi ji, I am giving you an opportunity till 2 pm on May 31 to make public all the information about your nephew asking for bribe from sportsperson for job …if you don’t do it by May 31, 2 pm, I will release photos, name and the meeting place. I will put everything in front of Punjabis (as translated from Punjabi),” Mann tweeted in what is seen a serious allegation against the former CM.

Channi, however, has denied allegations, and slammed the CM for spreading canards against him.

Mann had first made these stunning allegations a few days ago while addressing a gathering after laying foundation stones for setting up Tehsil complexes at Dirba and Cheema in Sangrur. Mann had said he met a Punjabi cricketer in Dharamshala when he was in Himachal Pradesh to watch an Indian Premier League match last week. “I will not reveal his name. He plays in Punjab’s team,” said Mann.

The CM alleged that the cricketer had told him that he had applied for a government job under sports quota when Captain Amarinder Singh was the chief minister. The cricketer was told that he would get the job. They then met Channi, who replaced Singh as CM, who told them to meet his nephew.

The cricketer told Mann that he met Channi’s nephew, who assured him of the job but raised a demand for “two”, said Mann.

“The player took Rs 2 lakh to Channi’s nephew, who abused him and said ‘two’ means Rs 2 crore. They (Channi) call themselves poor. For them ‘two’ means Rs 2 crore, not Rs 2 lakh,” the AAP leader said.