Channi's nephew demanded money from IPL cricketer, alleges Punjab CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday claimed his predecessor Charanjit Singh Channi's nephew had demanded Rs 2 crore from cricketer Jass Inder Singh to help him get a government job, a charge the Congress leader dismissed as ''baseless''.

Mann had first levelled the allegations against Channi's nephew Jashan on May 22 but did not name the cricketer. On Wednesday, he produced Jass Inder Singh and his father Manjinder Singh at a press conference.

''Jass Inder Singh is a team member of the Kings XI Punjab (Punjab Kings), although he did not get a chance in the playing 11,'' Mann said.

He said he had met Jass Inder in Dharamsala, where he had gone recently to watch an Indian Premier League (IPL) match.

The chief minister also showed pictures of Manjinder Singh with Channi.

Jass Inder Singh and his father had met Channi at Punjab Bhawan here. Channi told them that their work would be done, Mann claimed.

Then they were told to meet Channi's nephew Jashan, he said.

A former Ranji Trophy player, Jass Inder Singh represented Punjab in other tournaments too including Vijay Merchant Trophy and Cooch Behar Trophy, according to Mann.

The chief minister said that Jass Inder Singh had appeared in a Punjab Public Service Commission examination and was eligible for a government job under the sports quota.

He had obtained 198.5 marks against the sports category cut-off of 132.5 marks, Mann said.

Jass Inder Singh's result was considered in the general category while he had applied under the sports quota. He was the topper in the sports quota, Mann said.

Later, he met the then chief minister Amarinder Singh, whose officer on special duty M P Singh read out the entire case to him. Amarinder Singh wrote to the Home Department saying that his case be considered. But in the meantime, he was replaced by Channi, Mann said.

Jass Inder Singh and his father also met Channi, who was briefed about the case by the then principal secretary Hussan Lal. Channi told them that their work would be done and the matter placed before the cabinet, Mann said.

He was then told to meet Channi's nephew, he said.

''The nephew looked at their documents and his name was Jashan,'' said Mann.

Channi's nephew told them that their work would be done and raised a demand for ''two'', he alleged, adding that Jass Inder Singh was asked to arrange money before the next cabinet meeting.

''Jashan demanded 'two' (which means Rs 2 crore) but they (Jass Inder Singh and his father) brought Rs 2 lakh,'' he said.

When asked, the chief minister said legal action will be taken in the matter.

Asked whether Jass Inder Singh will be given a job, Mann said the state government will give him a job as per norms and his case is being studied.

Earlier, Mann had given Channi time till May 31 to come clean on the allegations.

In a tweet on May 25, Mann had said if Channi fails to disclose all information, he would make public pictures and names to support his allegations.

Channi accused Mann of ''mentally torturing'' him and his family with his ''false allegations''.

''He (Mann) wants to defame me with his baseless allegations,'' Channi said at a press conference, adding that he never asked anyone to meet his nephew for a job.

The player had approached the high court after he was not considered for the government job under the sports quota. His petition was rejected by the high court, he said.

If the Amarinder Singh-led government did not give him a job, then there must have been some deficiency in him, he added.

Channi was flanked by Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and MLA Pargat Singh. Jashan, the son of Channi's younger brother, was also present at the press conference.

Jashan is a doctor and preparing for MD, Channi said.

Jashan said he never met Jass Inder Singh or his father.

Pargat Singh said only Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games medallists were offered Class I officer jobs and the player in question could not qualify for a job under the sports quota.