Manpreet summoned by Vigilance in land case

Bathinda, July 20

The Vigilance Bureau has sent a notice to former Finance Minister and BJP leader Manpreet Singh Badal asking him to appear before it on Monday.

A senior official said the notice had been issued to Manpreet on a complaint of former SAD MLA Sarup Chand Singla (now in the BJP) pertaining to the purchase of PUDA commercial land at a low price in Model Town, Phase 1, Bathinda.

Singla had alleged that the PUDA map showed the land as commercial, but Manpreet, using his power as then Finance Minister, converted it into residential.

In 2005-06, the auction of this commercial land was finalised at Rs 75,000-90,000 per sq ft, but was cancelled later. However, in 2021, instead of auctioning the land, Manpreet, in connivance with officials, got the land on his name at a low price.

Last year, Singla had lodged another complaint against Manpreet alleging that he had favoured a private transport company in getting contracts for food grain transportation works.