- By Vivek Raj
- Mon, 25 Sep 2023 01:31 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has initiated legal proceedings against former state finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal, who is now associated with the BJP, and five others. The case revolves around alleged irregularities in the acquisition of a property in Bathinda, as confirmed by a top official on Monday.
Apart from Manpreet Badal, the individuals named in the case, filed on Sunday night, include former Bathinda municipal corporation commissioner Bikramjit Shergill, Rajiv Kumar, Amandeep Singh, Vikas Arora, and Pankaj, according to the official. Rajiv Kumar and Amandeep Singh have already been arrested in connection with the case, (according to the officials quoted by news agency IANS).
The investigation by the bureau stemmed from a complaint filed in 2021 by former MLA Sarup Chand Singla, who is currently a BJP leader and was previously associated with the Shiromani Akali Dal. Singla's complaint alleged irregularities in the purchase of a property situated at a prime location in Bathinda.
The case has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including sections 420 (cheating) and 468 (forgery), along with sections under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The allegations revolve around the misuse of authority by Manpreet Badal, who, during his tenure as a minister in the previous Congress government, purportedly converted commercial plots into residential plots for personal gain.
In response to the legal action, Manpreet Badal, a former Congress member, has submitted a pre-arrest bail application to the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Ram Kumar Singla in Bathinda.
The court has scheduled the hearing for September 26 and directed the Vigilance Bureau officials to provide the police records on the day of the hearing.
Manpreet Singh Badal, a Congress turncoat had joined the Bhartiya Janta Party earlier in January this year.
