Former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda claims audio was doctored

Virender Singh, a senior aide of former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, has claimed that the conversation which he says has been doctored was also “an old one, much before the current unrest started”. The audiotape of the phone conversation, allegedly between Virender and another person, had surfaced recently in which Virender allegedly tells the other person to “activate” the youth in Sirsa district to take part in the Jat quota agitation.

The Congress served a showcause notice to Virender Singh, who is a PCC delegate, after the audioclip came to light.

Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Assembly and INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala said the clip makes it clear how “attempts” were made to “instigate” protesters who were “sitting peacefully”.

Meanwhile, as calm returned to most of the state, traders, businessmen, companies and government officials started assessing the damage to immovable and movable property during the peak of the violence, in which 19 people were killed and nearly 200 others injured.