Amarinder smells politics as woman alleges 'sexual exploitation'

Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh Saturday denied allegations levelled by a woman that he had “sexually exploited” her with the promise of getting her a job.

The woman, Ranjit Kaur, alleged before media in Jalandhar city Saturday, 150 km from here, that she was “sexually exploited” on more than one occasion in 2006 by the then chief minister Amarinder Singh.

Amarinder Singh, who belongs to the erstwhile royal family of Patiala and was chief minister of Punjab between 2002-07, said that the timing of the allegations was curious since they are being made when changes in the state Congress unit, in which he is expected to get a substantial role, were round the corner.

“What can I say about this. Look at the timing of all this when changes in the PCC (Punjab Congress Committee) are to be announced. Why has all this come out at this time and after three years?” Amarinder Singh said.

The women, however, alleged that the police did not register a case all these years despite her repeated attempts.

Kaur alleged that Amarinder Singh’s former media adviser, Bharat Inder Singh Chahal, had taken her to his orchard near Shimla and later to a place near Ludhiana where she was “sexually exploited”.

She alleged that she was promised a job by both in return of compromising with them.

But Amarinder Singh, in a statement, linked the allegations to the imminent changes in the state Congress leadership. He is expected to be named state Congress president, a move being opposed by a section of Congress leaders.

Amarinder Singh said that another person, Shamsher Singh Sanghera, who had held the press conference with the woman in Jalandhar, had been booked by his government for rape in July 2003 and for attempt to murder in November 2005.

“I have never met Sanghera or this lady who has made this outrageous charge. I understand that this lady earlier made a similar accusation against a sitting judge and is also known as a habitual litigant in Ludhiana in cases of immoral turpitude,” Amarinder Singh claimed.

Last updated on Nov 14^th, 2009 at 23:26 pm IST--IANS