Transportation tender scam: Punjab Vigilance Bureau raids house of Congress leader’s aide

Tribune News Service

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Ludhiana, August 31

Investigating the transportation tenders scam, the Vigilance Bureau on Wednesday raided the house of Congress leader Manpreet Singh Issewal at Issewal village near Mullanpur Dakha.

Notably, former Congress minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu has been arrested in the case.

Manpreet is reportedly a close aide of senior Congress leader Capt Sandeep Sandhu, who unsuccessfully contested Assembly elections from Dakha.

The VB also recovered documents of many properties, valued in several crores, bought by Manpreet.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Bureau, Ludhiana, Ravinderpal Singh Sandhu said during the investigation of Ashu’s role in the scam, the name of Manpreet cropped up.

The VB is gathering the details of properties and investments made by Ashu. It is also questioning the former minister’s several close aides for their alleged role in investing Ashu’s money into businesses or properties.

“We conducted the raid at the house where Manpreet was also present. We seized documents of around 85 properties which he had bought this year only. The value of properties runs in several crores. Manpreet was asked to submit the source of money for buying these properties,” said Sandhu.

The SSP said the details of the properties which Manpreet bought prior to 2022 would also be gathered for further investigation.

When asked whether Manpreet was investing money of Ashu in the properties, the SSP said all angles were being investigated, it would be too early to reach to any conclusion at this stage.

Congress councillor, realtor quizzed again

Facing heat due to their closeness with ex-minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, real estate developer Hemant Sood and Cong councillor Sunny Bhalla were on Wednesday again quizzed by the VB, which was again dissatisfied with the details submitted by the duo.

CJM refuses to extend Ashu’s police remand

Chief Judicial Magistrate Sumit Makkar on Wednesday declined the request of the VB to extend the police remand of Bharat Bhushan Ashu for two more days in the transportation tender scam.

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