Arrest warrant issued against former Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal

The warrant against Badal, who joined the BJP in January after quitting the Congress, was issued by a magistrate court in Bathinda.

Published Sep 27, 2023 | 1:45 AMUpdated Sep 27, 2023 | 1:45 AM

Manpreet Singh Badal with Union Home Minister Amit Shah after joining the BJP in January.

An arrest warrant was issued on Tuesday, 26 September, against former Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the purchase of a property.

The warrant was issued by the court of the additional chief judicial magistrate in Bathinda. A case was registered against Badal and five others in connection with the plot-buying irregularities in Bathinda.

After quitting the Congress, Badal joined the BJP in January this year.

According to Badal’s counsel, Sukhdeep Singh, a fresh bail application before the arrest would be filed in court. He said that there was no FIR registered against Badal.

A lookout circular was issued against the former minister on Monday after teams of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau conducted raids at Badal’s residence.

Also read: Punjab Vigilance Bureau books Manpreet Singh Badal

The case

A case was registered against former Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) chief administrator Bikramjit Shergill, Rajiv Kumar, Amandeep Singh, Vikas Arora and Pankaj in the matter as well. The three of them have already been arrested.

The vigilance bureau launched an investigation into the matter based on former Bathinda MLA Sarup Chand Singla’s complaint from 2021 alleging irregularities in the purchase of a property at a prime location in Bathinda.

It was alleged that Badal, as a minister in the previous Congress dispensation, abused his position to convert two commercial plots into a residential plot for himself.

A case was registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 420 (cheating) and 468 (forgery), and also under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, in this regard.

According to the vigilance bureau, there was a financial loss of lakhs of rupees to the state exchequer.

Follow us