Election Commission Withdraws Appointment Of Sonu Sood As State Icon For Punjab

Punjab Election Commission: Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Punjab Dr S Karuna Raju said the ECI had withdrawn the appointment of Sonu Sood as a state icon of Punjab on January 4.

Bollywood actor Sonu Sood (ABP File)

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has withdrawn the appointment of Bollywood actor Sonu Sood as state icon for Punjab.

Confirming the development, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Punjab Dr S Karuna Raju said the ECI had withdrawn the appointment of Sonu Sood as a state icon of Punjab on January 4.

Sonu Sood, who has starred in many notable films like Dabangg and Jodhaa Akbar, was appointed as the state icon of Punjab by the Election Commission in November, 2020.

READ | Sonu Sood Goes Into Action Mode With Abhinandan Gupta's 'Fateh'

"The real hero of people is now the state icon of Punjab - Sonu Sood," the Chief Electoral Officer had tweeted in November.

The actor, who belongs to Punjab's Moga district, was lauded on social media for helping several migrants during the Covdi-19 lockdown by arranging food and shelters for the people.

On September 30, Sonu Sood was honoured with the Special Humanitarian Action Award by the United Nations Development Programme for his efforts to help people during the pandemic.

However, a controversy had erupted over his 'Ghar Bhejo' initiative after some alleged that Sood had undertaken the humanitarian work with political ambitions. The actor, however, had clarified that he would not be joining or campaigning for any political party.

“सख्त राहों में भी आसान सफर लगता है,
हर हिंदुस्तानी की दुआओं का असर लगता है” 💕 pic.twitter.com/0HRhnpf0sY

— sonu sood (@SonuSood) September 20, 2021

Last year, the Central Board of Direct Taxes had said Sonu Sood and his associates evaded tax of Rs 20 crore and accused the actor of violating the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) while raising donations from abroad.

In a statement, Sonu Sood said, "You don't always have to tell your side of the story. Time will. I have pledged myself to the service of the people of India with all my strength and heart. Every rupee in my foundation is awaiting its turn to save a precious life and reach the needy. In addition, on many occasions, I have encouraged brands to donate my endorsement fees to humanitarian causes too, which keeps us going."