Former Punjab finance minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Manpreet Singh Badal was on Monday grilled for over four hours by the Vigilance Bureau in Bathinda in connection with an alleged land scam. The bureau has filed a case against Badal after allegations against him of purchasing two residential plots on PUDA land in Bathinda at a low price.
This VB probe is based on a complaint filed by former Shiromani Akali Dal MLA (now BJP Bathinda Urban president) Sarup Chand Singla.
After being grilled for over four hours, Badal spoke to the media and denied allegations, claiming a political witch hunt against him by the present government.
“The entire charade began with two complaints filed by Sarup Chand Singla and this was used as an excuse to malign my reputation. Singla had filed a complaint with the Punjab Lokpal and Punjab Vigilance. The case in the Punjab Lokpal was dismissed as Singla failed to appear and provide any evidence. Now, apparently, the same complaint has been taken up by Punjab Vigilance,” said Badal. “Today in the same complaint, I was asked to appear before Vigilance in Bathinda and respond to certain questions pertaining to the purchase of residential plots. I appeared before the concerned officials and responded to the questions.”
Badal claimed that he had told the bureau that the land use change from commercial to residential plots was approved ten years ago in 2012.
“This was because, for close to 10 years, there were no buyers for these commercial plots. I was not a minister or MLA at that time. I was in the opposition as a part of PPP. Sarup Chand Singla was the MLA when this conversion took place,” he said Badal. “If I was not an MLA or minister, and it was my political opponent Sarup Chand Singla whose party was in power, then the question of misusing any authority on my behalf does not arise. So, the allegations that I as finance minister got the land use change for my benefit are frivolous, unfounded and defamatory.”
He also claimed that the due process of e-auction was followed and he had purchased the plots at a rate above the reserve price.
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