CBI misused for political benefit in Chautala case: SAD

Ambala: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), an ally of BJP, on Sunday alleged that the CBI was "misused" for political benefit in the case of INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala who was "stopped" from campaigning in Haryana polls. The ruling party of Punjab also claimed that the INLD-SAD combined will sweep the Haryana polls. SAD general secretary, Prem Singh Chandumajara, told reporters here,"CBI was used for political benefit by previous government also."

The Anandpur Sahib MP alleged, "CBI had misused its power by stopping former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala from campaigning for Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) candidates." However, Chandumajara expressed hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will put a check on this practise. "Chautala was deprived of his fundamental right which would ultimately benefit the INLD and it will get absolute majority in the elections," he said. Chautala surrendered at Tihar jail on Saturday after the Delhi High Court asked him to do so for misusing bail conditions by campaigning for Assembly polls in the state.

Earlier, CBI had moved the court for cancellation of interim bail granted to the former Haryana Chief Minister in the teachers' recruitment scam. The agency claimed that the leader had been campaigning for Haryana assembly elections and thus violating bail conditions. Chauatala was sentence to 10 years in jail. Replying toa question Chandumajara said that the SAD had offered its support to INLD to defeat Congress in the state. He also told reporters that in case both--  BJP or SAD-INLD combine-- failed to get majority, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will play an important role as a bridge between the two parties(BJP and INLD).

INLD has fielded candidates on 88 seats while SAD will fight on remaining two seats. Prior to announcement of Assembly polls in Haryana, Badal had made unsuccessful attempts for an alliance between INLD and BJP.

The saffron party is a key ally of SAD in Punjab.