A rape case has been registered against Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) member from Anandpur Sahib and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) senior vice-president Amarjit Singh Chawla, according to police sources.Sources said the case was registered on the complaint of a woman from Punjab’s Malwa region, who has also recorded her statement before a judicial magistrate in connection with the allegations.In a video message released this evening, Chawla denied the allegations, describing them as false and fabricated. He said that a conspiracy had been hatched against him and said he would prove his innocence in court.In the video, Chawla announced his resignation from both his SGPC membership and the post of senior vice-president of SAD, saying he did not want the case to create difficulties for his party.“I have sent my resignation to SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami,” Chawla said. He added that he would not resume either position until he was cleared by the court.The unusual lack of official communication from the Ropar police raised questions, with sources indicating that there was pressure from senior officials against disclosing details of the case. While police officials at the lower level, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that an FIR had been registered, senior officers refrained from disclosing details.Ropar SSP Maninder Singh did not answer phone calls or respond to a WhatsApp message seeking confirmation and details of the case. The DIG, Ropar Range, when contacted, said he was unaware of the matter and would inquire into the facts of the case.Officials at the lower level said they were not in a position to comment on the matter.The circumstances surrounding the registration of the FIR — including the sections invoked, the allegations contained in the complaint and the stage of the police investigation — could not be independently confirmed with senior police officials.