Mansa: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Mansa Vijay Singla has denied having any telephone or personal contact with Ashwini Kumar, the main accused in the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhotta, amid allegations by protesters that the accused enjoyed political patronage.
Calling the killing tragic, Singla said Ashwini should be punished for the crime and appealed to people not to engage in confrontations over the issue.
“He is not a good person; I knew that,” Singla said, while claiming that the accused had never approached him. He challenged anyone to produce evidence of a meeting or conversation between them over the past five years.
Protesters have alleged that Ashwini had the backing of the Mansa legislator. Responding to claims linking the accused to Punjab finance minister Harpal Cheema, Singla also denied any connection between Cheema and Ashwini, adding that the minister might not even know him.
Jhotta’s father, Bhim Singh, has repeatedly alleged that Ashwini is a close relative of Cheema. These claims have not been independently established.
Singla accused protesters of dragging political leaders into the controversy and making what he described as unfounded statements. He said the focus should remain on securing justice for Jhotta and ensuring that those responsible for his killing are punished.
Ashwini, a medical store owner, is the main accused in the case after Jhotta was shot dead at the shop on Tuesday. The investigation is ongoing, and the allegations of political links remain disputed.
