Clean chit to former minister Vijay Singla misuse of state power-Lalpura
Bahadurjeet Singh/royalpatiala.in News/ Rupnagar,June 28,2025
Iqbal Singh Lalpura, Member, Central Parliamentary Board, Bharatiya Janata Party and Former Chairman, National Commission for Minorities has said that the reported closure of the case and clean chit given to Vijay Singla, former Health Minister of Punjab by the Punjab Police raises serious questions about misuse of state power and the violation of due legal process.
He said as per the Criminal Procedure Code, an arrest can only be made when there is sufficient evidence to justify such action. In the case of a sitting minister, prior approval from the Chief Minister and the Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha is a legal and constitutional expectation.
He said that the Chief Minister of Punjab must answer on what grounds was the arrest of Vijay Singla permitted?, what evidence was presented to justify the public humiliation of a serving Cabinet Minister? If none existed, who will be held accountable for the violation of legal norms and the damage to an individual’s honour?
He said that for nearly three years Singla faced public disgrace, loss of political stature, and irreparable harm to his reputation—all based on unproven allegations. If the same state machinery now finds him innocent, how will the Government of Punjab restore his dignity?
He demanded a public explanation from the Chief Minister of Punjab, compensation and formal rehabilitation of Vijay Singla’s public image, action against those responsible—be it police officials or political figures—who orchestrated or enabled this abuse of power, a clear policy against political arrests without credible evidence, to protect democracy and institutional integrity.
Let Punjab not become a place where arrests are made for headlines and innocence is declared only when political interests shift. Justice delayed is dignity denied,he said.
