With the Punjab Assembly elections only months away, the Shiromani Akali Dal is facing a fresh controversy over rape allegations against senior leader and former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee member Amarjit Singh Chawla, with sections of the party rallying behind him even after the Akal Takht excommunicated him.In a rare show of support for a leader facing such serious allegations, former Akali MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha publicly questioned the credibility of the complainant and raised doubts over her account of alleged sexual assault. SGPC member Rajinder Singh Mehta also told The Indian Express that he supported Chawla but added that he respected the Akal Takht’s decision.The case, meanwhile, has led to questions being raised over the circumstances in which the Bahrain-based woman came to Punjab, her prolonged stay at a sarai managed by the SGPC at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, and the alleged involvement of senior Akali leaders in bringing her to India.An FIR (No. 149) was registered at Anandpur Sahib on August 21 on the woman’s complaint, accusing Chawla of rape, wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation. Chawla has denied the allegations, said he has been implicated, and indicated that he would make further revelations.The allegations came into public focus after SAD spokesperson and women’s wing leader Roop Kaur Sandhu went live on Facebook with the woman. During the interaction, the complainant reiterated her allegations against Chawla but withdrew her earlier allegation that SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami had deliberately ignored her complaints, saying this had forced her to approach the police.The Akal Takht acted swiftly. On September 20, Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj excommunicated Chawla and additional head Granthi Malkit Singh. Chawla subsequently criticised the decision as hasty and alleged that he was not given an opportunity to present his side.The controversy, however, goes beyond the rape FIR.According to allegations made by the woman in subsequent videos, she was brought to India from Bahrain to “expose” a person within the SAD. She said she was arrested at the airport in an old case soon after arriving and could not carry out the task for which she had allegedly been brought to India. She later alleged that Valtoha and SAD’s Ghanaur candidate Sarabjit Singh Jhinjer had arranged her ticket. Valtoha has denied the allegations.Story continues below this adThe woman subsequently stayed for several months at Bhai Bachittar Singh Niwas, an SGPC-managed facility at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib. She has reportedly alleged that she was provided a vehicle and attendants during her stay.This has triggered questions from rival Sikh groups over the use of SGPC resources. On September 24, Giani Harpreet Singh, president of Akali Dal (Punar Surjit), sought an explanation from SGPC president Dhami on why a woman brought from abroad had been accommodated at the sarai and provided facilities such as a vehicle and sevadars, and whether she had any connection with Sikh history or official research.The Alliance of Sikh Organisations too raised questions over the prolonged accommodation and use of vehicles and drivers, seeking clarity on whether the arrangements had been officially authorised.Chawla, who began his political career with the All India Sikh Students Federation, was an SGPC member from Anandpur Sahib and has been associated with the management of affairs at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib for years.Story continues below this adHe was among those present inside the Golden Temple complex during Operation Blue Star in June 1984 and was subsequently arrested and lodged in Jodhpur jail along with other detainees. Over the years, he remained aligned with the Badal family and the SAD, including during periods when several mainstream Akali leaders left the party following the 2015 sacrilege incidents and their aftermath.His close association with the SGPC establishment and his reported influence over affairs at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib have now become a central part of the controversy.Valtoha, while accepting the Akal Takht decree against Chawla, mounted an aggressive defence of his party colleague. Questioning the complainant’s account, he said it was difficult to reconcile her allegation of prolonged sexual assault with her reported movements outside the premises.“It is surprising that a person who was allegedly being raped for six months remained silent for so long, despite attending court hearings in Nabha and Sangrur, travelling to Mohali and other cities, and having a mobile phone,” he said.Valtoha also referred to what he described as the complainant’s previous legal disputes and alleged that she had a history of filing fraudulent criminal cases to blackmail people.Story continues below this adThe political fallout has added another layer to the dispute. The AAP has questioned the SGPC’s internal four-member inquiry into the allegations and demanded an independent police or judicial probe. Valtoha, in response, accused the ruling party of politicising the issue and said only the Punjab DGP could constitute a Special Investigation Team.The SAD on its part expelled Roop Kaur Sandhu from its primary membership on September 29, citing “indiscipline”. Before her expulsion, Sandhu had said other women had approached her following the controversy and had hinted at further revelations involving influential figures.Meanwhile, a look-out circular (LOC) has been issued for Chawla who had left for Canada on August 14. The FIR against Chawla registered on August 21 at the Anandpur Sahib police station under Sections 64, 127(2) and 351(2) of the BNS, pertaining to rape, wrongful confinement, and criminal intimidation.