Punjab elections 2017: AAP shelves probe into sting on Sucha Singh Chhotepur

He added they were unable to trace the woman who was alleged to be exploited by party observer Vijay Chauhan. “We could not trace the woman as she had left Barnala. The police, too, were unable to trace her. In the absence of knowledge about her whereabouts we have not been able to inquire into the case,” said Bir.

Chhotepur was removed as state convener of AAP by the party in August after the party claimed he was shown accepting money from a volunteer and not giving him a receipt in a video clip. The clip was not in the public domain.

Bir, who was handed over the inquiry had that time, said he would watch the video of Chhotepur and then take action. The party had asked Chhotepur to assist in the inquiry. The latter, however, refused to do so and floated his own party last week after quitting AAP.

Chhotepur has maintained there was no such video clip and the party wanted to remove him as he was not toeing their line.

In Chauhan’s case, some AAP volunteers from Barnala had alleged he had sexually exploited his help and hushed up the matter by paying Rs 1 lakh to the victim.

Barnala Youth circle wing president Ravinder Singh Dhillon, grievances committee in-charge, Ishar Singh Fauji and Makhan Singh Namol had released an audio clip a month ago where a ticket aspirant from Dhuri, Rajwant Singh Ghulli, was purportedly heard trying to convince a woman not to press rape charges against the Delhi observer.