Punjab Vigilance Bureau summons former Deputy CM OP Soni

Amritsar, November 25

The Vigilance Bureau has started a probe into the alleged disproportionate assets of former Deputy Chief Minister OP Soni.

Confirming the development, Vigilance SSP Varinder Singh said Soni had been summoned to join the inquiry at the Amritsar SSP’s office tomorrow. “A complaint has been forwarded by the state government to mark the probe,” he said.

According to information, CM Bhagwant Mann gave a nod to the Vigilance in this regard yesterday.

Soni, who was an MLA from the Amritsar’s Central constituency, also held the health portfolio during the term of the Congress government.

According to sources, the Vigilance had summoned former Deputy CM after preparing a list of his assets and income from 2017 to 2022.

When Soni was the Health Minister, reports surfaced about the alleged hand sanitiser scam wherein it was purchased at thrice the cost. Besides, he could also be questioned about the lease of the Amritsar Circuit House.

The sources said the Vigilance had also gathered the details of assets he had declared to the Election Commission through affidavits on a number of occasions.

At the time of the 2007 Assembly poll, he had declared his movable property to the tune of Rs 1.94 crore, which increased to Rs 27.98 crore during the 2022 Vidhan Sabha election.

Soni could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.