Land purchase row: Look out notice issued against former state finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal
PTC News Desk: Former Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal faces escalating trouble as the Punjab Vigilance Bureau has not only filed a case against him but also issued aLook-Out Circular (LOC) at all airports. This action is related to alleged irregularities in a property purchase in Bathinda.
Earlier today, a team of Punjab Vigilance Bureau also extensively raided farmhouse of former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal for about one hour at his village to arrest him, but the VB team had to return empty-handed since Manpreet was not at the farmhouse.
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Monday registered a criminal and corruption case against former finance minister and Congress leader Manpreet Singh Badal for using his political pressure and influence to purchase two plots in Model Town phase-1 Bathinda.
The individuals booked in the case, registered on Sunday night, include Manpreet Badal, who is now associated with the BJP, and former Bathinda municipal corporation commissioner Bikramjit Shergill. The other four individuals named in the case are Rajiv Kumar, Amandeep Singh, Vikas Arora, and Pankaj.
The case was registered on a complaint filed by Saroop Chand Singla, former MLA Bathinda city, against Manpreet Singh Badal and alleged that Former Finance Minister during his tenure from the year 2018 to 2021 used political pressure and influence to purchase two plots measuring 1560 square yards of land in Model Town phase-1 Bathinda near the TV tower thereby caused a financial loss of lakhs of rupees to the state exchequer.
The former finance minister has purchased both plots through agreements from the bidders known to him before they got allotment letters from BDA Bathinda. It was also found that Manpreet Singh Badal has transferred 25 per cent earnest money in advance to the successful allottees which shows his connivance with the bidders.
The case has been registered under Sections 420 (cheating) and 468 (forgery) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act. During the investigation, Manpreet Badal was questioned in July. Recently, he filed a pre-arrest bail application in a Bathinda court, and the hearing is scheduled for September 26. Manpreet Badal switched from the Congress to the BJP in January.
The court has listed the matter for hearing September 26.
- With inputs from agencies
