Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, who was earlier accused of being involved in the drug racket by alleged kingpin Jagadish Bhola, denied the charge saying it was a "wild allegation" and Congress had "jumped in" to tarnish his image.
"Bhola is a known criminal... Who is facing a possible life sentence, (and) has now made this wild allegation," Majithia said in a statement today.
"Punjab Congress leaders have jumped in and joined Bhola in attacking me despite knowing Bhola's antecedents," he said, adding, "It does not behove the Congress to use criminals for ulterior political ends."
"Bhola was caught from Murthal, near Delhi, after investigations by Punjab Police. It is clearly a mischievous afterthought on his part as he had several opportunities to make these allegations earlier but did not do so," the minister said.
Referring to the anti-drug campaign launched by the SAD-BJP government, which spared no one, "however big he may be", Majithia said, "This obviously has unsettled the Congress and has led it to lend its support to these wild allegations."
The minister also suggested that "tomorrow Bhola may blame the Gandhis (Congress president Sonia Gandhi and son Rahul).
"This turn of events should be investigated to know how this conspiracy was hatched and who all are behind it," he said.
