Punjab Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa on Thursday, 25 June launched a pointed attack on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, alleging that the state government's attempt to procure a fabricated forensic report had “completely demolished” its own defence in the controversial viral video case. Bajwa made the remarks in Chandigarh, demanding the Chief Minister's resignation and a judicial inquiry into what he called a brazen misuse of state machinery.

The Allegation at the Centre

Bajwa argued that the very effort to obtain a false forensic report was, in itself, the most damning piece of evidence against the government. “The attempt to secure a fabricated forensic report is itself the biggest evidence that the government had something to hide. If Bhagwant Mann was innocent, there would have been no need to influence or manipulate a forensic examination. This is not merely a case of deception; it is a blatant abuse of state machinery and a shocking misuse of power at the highest level,” Bajwa said.

He contended that the controversy had grown well beyond its origins in sacrilege allegations, escalating into what he described as an alleged conspiracy to obstruct justice and mislead the people of Punjab.

The Gurugram Arrests and Punjab Police Angle

Bajwa pointed to a parallel development in neighbouring Haryana, where Gurugram Police arrested two individuals after one Jaspreet Singh alleged that Punjab Police officers offered him ₹10 lakh to submit a false forensic report. According to Bajwa, Gurugram Police indicated that Punjab Police officers named in the complaint could also face arrest if evidence warranted it.

Notably, the arrests in Gurugram mark the first time the alleged cover-up has produced criminal action in a jurisdiction outside Punjab, lending the controversy an inter-state dimension that critics argue makes an impartial investigation within the state difficult.

Bajwa's Demands

The Congress leader called for Chief Minister Mann's immediate resignation, asserting that Mann had “forfeited all moral authority” to remain in office after allegedly hurting Sikh sentiments worldwide. He demanded a judicial inquiry led by a sitting or retired High Court judge to identify all individuals involved in the alleged cover-up.

Bajwa also called for strict legal action against any Punjab Police officer found to have pressured individuals or influenced forensic findings. “No uniform can become a shield for wrongdoing. Those who misused their official position to protect political masters must be prosecuted in accordance with the law,” he said.

Broader Political and Community Impact

This is the latest in a series of escalating political confrontations over the viral video case, which has drawn in questions of religious sentiment, institutional integrity, and the independence of Punjab's law enforcement. Bajwa framed the issue as one that the Sikh community across the world would not forgive. “Punjab's people, and particularly the Sikh community, will never forgive any effort to deceive them or undermine the sanctity of their faith for political survival,” he said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab is yet to formally respond to the specific allegations around the Gurugram arrests. As the case draws in police officers from two states, pressure is mounting for a probe that goes beyond state boundaries.