Shiromani Akali Dal leaders detained during Punjab corruption protest

Leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) women’s wing, including MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and MLA Ganieve Kaur Majithia, were detained in Chandigarh during a protest march on Saturday. The activists were marching toward the official residence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to demand his resignation and the registration of criminal cases against his wife, Gurpreet Kaur.

The protest stems from allegations that Gurpreet Kaur and her brother-in-law, Amardeep Singh, were involved in a corruption scheme involving Rs 5 crore to suppress a rape and kidnapping case. Protesters alleged that audio and visual evidence showed negotiations to shield an accused individual, who was subsequently released and allowed to travel to the United States.

While the National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice regarding the matter, Gurpreet Kaur has rejected the allegations as baseless. SAD leadership has also called for a CBI inquiry into the matter, submitting a 300-page dossier to the Punjab Governor earlier this week.