Actor Akshay Kumar has denied allegations levelled against him in the cases of sacrilege in Punjab.
Kumar on Wednesay furnished a statement to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the cases in connection with an alleged Rs 100 crore deal between jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim and former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Kumar is alleged to have mediated on a multi-crore deal between Badal and Ram Rahim.
In the statement, Kumar compared the allegations against him with a Bollywood drama, citing he had visited Punjab in 2011 for a Kabaddi match and met the then chief minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal. There was no other intention or motive involved in the meeting.
“I met Sukhbir Singh Badal when I visited Punjab in 2011 for a Kabaddi match. And just two-three times afterwards. I know him as I know other political leaders of the country. The period the allegations talk about is the time I was busy with my movies Gabbar is Back and Baby. My wife’s tweet was also taken out of context even when it was a sarcastic jibe at Gurmeet Ram Rahim,” he said.
Kumar added, “I and my family have immense respect for and full faith in Guru Granth Sahib and Sikhism and we cannot even imagine to participate in a conspiracy against them.”
The SIT had summoned Kumar to appear personally for questioning in Amritsar. He, however, expressed his inability to come to Amritsar and had requested the SIT to question him at Chandigarh.
He had earlier, in a tweet, denied the allegations and clarified he had never met Gurmeet Ram Rahim.
Earlier on October 9, 2017, former Rampura MLA Harbans Singh, in his statement recorded before the justice Ranjit Singh panel, said that Badal had not only paved the way for a pardon from Sikh clergy for Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a blasphemy case but had also agreed to help release his film in Punjab for Rs 100 crore.
“In this background, Sukhbir sent Takht Damdama Sahib (a temporal authority) Jathedar (head) Gurmeet Singh to Akal Takht Jathedar to get the previous Hukamnama (diktat) ex-communicating the Dera head withdrawn. This was done with an aim to arrange the release of Ram Rahim starrer film MSG (Messenger of God) in Punjab.The film was expected to earn Rs 300 crore if released in the state,” the former MLA said according to the panel report.
According to the panel report, the deal was struck by Akshay Kumar who played the role of a mediator.
Badal, who has already been questioned by the SIT in this connection, has denied the allegations. Badal said he never went to meet Akshay Kumar in Mumbai.
While both Akshay Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Badal denied the allegations, the former MLA has claimed that he has corroborating evidences to prove that both Akshay and Badal had met and the deal was a reality.
Sources close to the Punjab Police said DIT is also likely to question Gurmeet Ram Rahim at Sunariya, Rohtak jail soon. He can also be brought on a production warrant to Punjab.
(With inputs Agencies)
