Under fire from the opposition SAD over the murder of an Akali leader in Gurdaspur, Punjab Cabinet Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Monday rejected the allegations that the Punjab Police was "trying to save" the accused at his "behest".
"The Akali Dal has made baseless allegations," Randhawa said appearing before the media for the first time after his name was dragged into the issue.
The jails minister assured that the killers would be nabbed soon.
"The guilty will not be spared and they will be arrested soon," said Randhawa, who was accompanied by Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar and several party MLAs.
The Punjab minister also junked the allegations that he had links with notorious gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and "an extortion racket was being run under his patronage".
Randhawa claimed that a total of 44 cases had been registered against Bhagwanpuria, of which 29 were lodged in Amritsar (Rural), Majithia's constituency.
He alleged that Bhagwanpuria's brother had managed to flee the country under the previous SAD-BJP regime.
The minister also showed some photographs, purportedly showing Majithia with some criminals and dared the opposition leader for a probe by a sitting high court judge.
Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar accused the SAD of trying to gain politically from the death of the Akali leader as it existence was "under threat".
Meanwhile, SAD activist in Batala staged a protest outside the office of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) over the alleged "delay" in the arrest of the accused.
Led by local Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal, they alleged that police were trying to save accused at the "behest" of Randhawa.
A heavy police force was deployed outside the SSP office to prevent any untoward incident, officials said.
The dharna was lifted after the SSP assured that the accused would be nabbed soon.
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