"Charanjit Channi is The Sand Mafia": AAP Alleges After "Live Raid"

AAP leader Raghav Chadha said that as per their estimates, 800 to 1,000 trucks, called tippers, filled with sand were being taken out from the site.

Illegal sand mining is being carried out under the patronage of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi in his own constituency, Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha has alleged in what he calls an "expose". In a video showing the "live raid", the young leader can be seen travelling to the bank of a river in the Jindapur village of Chamkaur Sahib - Mr Channi's constituency. Visuals of JCB excavators and trucks being loaded with sand can be seen in the video. "Illegal sand mining in Charanjit Singh Channi's constituency has been exposed. It is the biggest expose which will shake Punjab's politics," Mr Chadha told reporters at the site. CM @charanjitchanni जगह जगह घूमकर भांगड़ा डाल रहे हैं और यहां उनकी खुद की विधानसभा में माफिया करोड़ों रुपए की रेत खनन कर रहा है.चन्नी साहब तो कहते थे मैं रेत माफिया का CM नहीं हूं पर यहां तो लगता है CM ही रेत माफिया है.दूध की रखवाली बिल्ली के हवाले! pic.twitter.com/HEQIJ1XOFZ चन्नी साहिब के अपने हल्के में इतनी बड़ी रेता चोरी? क्या ये बिना संरक्षण या पार्ट्नरशिप के संभव है?कई लोगों ने आरोप लगाए कि चन्नी साहिब सबसे बड़े रेत माफिया हैं। मैंने यक़ीन नहीं किया। पर आज चन्नी साहिब को लोगों के सवालों के जवाब तो देने होंगे। क्या कांग्रेस कार्रवाई करेगी? https://t.co/tKLx0j3V5T Forest Range officer Rajwant Singh had informed Sub divisional Magistrate, Sri Chamkaur Sahib - about the illegal mining activities in CM Charanjit Channi's constituency.There was no action on the sand mafia, but Rajwant Singh soon received transfer orders.#ChanniWithSandMafiapic.twitter.com/KCv5dMTUmD

"Illegal sand mining is going on here openly. Sand is being illegally ferried in trucks," the AAP leader said. Mr Chadha pointed out that when Mr Channi became the Chief Minister, he had declared that those connected to the sand mafia should not try to approach him. "But here we can see this mafia is enjoying the patronage of the ruling outfit," he alleged. 

"Even if the CM claims he doesn't meet the sand mafia, it's clear today that he himself is the sand mafia," Mr Chadha said in a press conference in Chandigarh.