PIL in HC seeks probe against Punjab minister over ‘private’ Canada trip, double expense claims
The petition, filed against the Union of India and other respondents by Punjab resident Karanpreet Singh, alleges misuse of public money, fraud and corruption by the minister.
A PIL has been filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking “fair and impartial inquiry” against a Punjab Cabinet Minister for allegedly undertaking a “private” visit to Canada without mandatory Central Government approvals and subsequently claiming both foreign and local travel expenses for the same period.
The petition, filed against the Union of India and other respondents by Punjab resident Karanpreet Singh, alleges misuse of public money, fraud and corruption by the minister. Among other things, the petitioner contended that the Central Government rules required state ministers to obtain prior political clearance and clearance under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), besides informing the Prime Minister’s Office, before travelling abroad.
The petitioner alleged that the minister travelled to Canada between January 17 and January 20, 2024, “without taking these mandatory central permissions, relying only on oral permission from the Chief Minister”.
The PIL further claims that despite the visit being private, the Punjab Government prepared and approved a travel bill of Rs 3 lakh for the foreign trip. The petitioner has also alleged that during the very same period, the minister falsely claimed to have been present in Punjab and Delhi and sought reimbursement for local travel expenses.
The petitioner alleged that the minister “falsely claimed that he was present locally in Punjab and Delhi” and also “claimed local travel expenses” for the identical dates. Alleging that the minister claimed reimbursement for being in Canada and for travelling within India simultaneously, the petitioner contends that the respondent “committed fraud, misused his official position, and embezzled public funds”.
The petition further states that a detailed complaint highlighting the alleged illegal acts, double claims and alleged offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act was submitted to the Ministry of External Affairs on March 9, 2025. The case is yet to come up for hearing.
