Shiromani Akali Dal leader Virsa Singh Valtoha has alleged that the Punjab government is attempting to damage his reputation and that of his party by circulating an audio recording that he claims was created using artificial intelligence.
Speaking to the media, Valtoha demanded an independent investigation into the matter by a former Supreme Court or High Court judge. He alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party government was using the controversy to divert public attention from other pressing issues.
The controversy follows the circulation of an alleged audio clip involving Valtoha and a Bahrain-based woman who has made serious allegations against former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee member Amarjit Singh Chawla. The woman’s allegations against Chawla include rape, wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation, and an FIR has been registered in connection with the matter. Chawla has denied the allegations.
Valtoha alleged that the woman was being used against Akali leaders. He also raised questions over the timing and handling of the FIR registered at Anandpur Sahib police station.
According to Valtoha, the FIR had been registered about a month earlier but was brought into the public domain later, after Chawla had raised concerns regarding the matter. He argued that while an FIR is a legal document, its publication through the media raised questions about the government's intentions.
The alleged audio was publicly released by AAP Punjab general secretary and media in-charge Baltej Pannu on October 2. Pannu raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the woman's extended stay at SGPC-managed sarais in Sri Anandpur Sahib and referred to the alleged conversation involving Valtoha.
The authenticity and context of the audio recording have not been independently established. The allegations and claims surrounding the recording remain subject to investigation.
The controversy is linked to the FIR registered against Chawla on August 21. The case has generated wider political and institutional questions concerning the woman's stay at SGPC facilities and the handling of the allegations. Chawla has maintained that the charges against him are false and fabricated.
Valtoha has now called for an inquiry by a former judge of either the Supreme Court or a High Court, saying that an independent investigation is necessary to establish the facts surrounding the viral audio and the wider controversy.
The matter remains politically contentious, with competing allegations being made by the AAP and Akali Dal leaders while the underlying criminal case continues to be investigated.