A video portraying a Sikh man resembling the president of the 115-year-old Sikh institution, Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD). Charanjit Singh Chadha making sexual advances towards a woman has shocked Panthic and academic circles.
The man is believed to be principal of one of the schools under the management of institutions, and taking selfies. The video was allegedly recorded in one of Chadha’s hotels on June 20.
Chadha denied being in the video and said a few people had been blackmailing him for the past four to five months, threatening to defame him and damage his profession.
Chadha is also vice-president of Khalsa College Governing Council (KCGC), headed by Satyajit Singh Majithia. Reacting to the video, former secretary, CKD Bhag Singh Ankhi said, “This is a genuine video recorded in the CCTV camera of Chadha’s hotel office. I am very upset about it. What message will it give to students, teachers, parents, and society as such?”
Chadha claimed that his employee Gursewak Singh is under the protection of some ‘higher-ups’ who are jealous of him and want to defame him by implicating him in a case. “They forged the video and released it,” he said.
CKD secretary M S Khurana said, “I have seen the video. This is Chadha’s personal matter and Chief Khalsa Diwan has nothing to do with it.” However, he said he would convene a meeting of office-bearers in a day or two.
In the evening, Chadha issued a press note from the official e-mail id of the Chief Khalsa Diwan, with the subject, “Clarification of President CKD.” It reads, “It has come to my notice that a false video is being made viral on social media by certain mischievous elements. It is brought to the notice of all concerned that a false video with an intention to extract money from me was made in connivance with certain political opponents of mine. The video is totally false and has been made viral to spoil my image because I refused to pay ransom to blackmailers.”
Founded in 1902, Chief Khalsa Diwan is a central Sikh organization comprising various Singh Sabhas spread all across Punjab, to promote the aspirations and redress grievances of Sikh people, settle their religious differences and channelize Sikh public opinion.
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