Senior BJP leader Manpreet Singh Badal Monday appeared before the state vigilance bureau in a case pertaining to the alleged illegal allotment of land in his name during his tenure as Punjab's finance minister. Badal was summoned following a complaint by former MLA Sarup Chand Singla who had alleged irregularities in the purchase of a property in a prime location in Bathinda. Singla, who too had switched from the Shiromani Akali Dal to the BJP, had filed a complaint before vigilance in September 2021 alleging that Manpreet as a minister had abused his position by converting commercial plots measuring 2500 square yards in the Model Town area of Bathinda into residential plots for himself. The allotment was done by Bathinda development authority ( BDA) Manpreet, who was earlier with the Congress, came to the vigilance office at 11:30 am and was grilled for several hours. Later, he slammed Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing him of trying to suppress the voice of his political opponents with such action. Manpreet claimed that no rule had been flouted in the allotment of land. “I have been accused of malpractice in the purchase of two residential plots in Bathinda. The entire charade began with two complaints filed by Singla with the Punjab Lokpal and with the vigilance. Lokpal had dismissed the case as Singla failed to appear and provide any evidence”. Manpreet said, “I welcome scrutiny and probity of public officials, and I will willingly answer any further questions. However, I want to set the record straight. Two allegations have been levelled against me. First, I used my influence as finance minister to convert the commercial plots into residential plots and second, I used my influence as finance minister to purchase the said plots at lower prices. Both premises are false”. He said that the change of land use from commercial to residential was approved in 2012. “I was not a minister or MLA at that time. I was in the opposition as a part of People's Party of Punjab. Singla was an MLA at the time but chose to remain silent. So the allegation that got the land use changed is frivolous, unfounded and defamatory”. Manpreet said that he has been accused of influencing the bidding process to purchase the plots at a lower price. “In 2021, BDA announced an e-auction of the plots. The reserve price was fixed at Rs 29,900 per square metre. The plots were purchased by two persons at Rs 30,348.5 per square metre. Later, I purchased the plots from them by paying them a premium over the price that they had paid”. “I have always upheld strict financial values. I served as a minister for nine years and never ever did I use the official car or claim even a litre of petrol/diesel/gas that was consumed during the discharge of my official duties. I paid from my own pocket for travel. I always paid toll tax, even when as a minister I was entitled to a waiver. I own two tubewell connections, and though there is free power for the agricultural sector, I pay the bills. Despite being an MLA five times, I have never claimed a single rupee in medical reimbursement,” Manpreet said. He added that though he and Singla are in the same party, they were political opponents in three elections. "Singla has been a political rival and hence his complaint smacks of hurt ego and personal sulking. Further, Singla has failed to present any evidence to back his allegations”. Targeting the CM, he said that Mann was using public funds for personal publicity and travel. “This is is a government, which lacks planning, direction, and priorities,” he added.
