Amarinder claims innocence in City Centre scam

Patiala, Mar 25: Former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has claimed that the case registered against him by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau in the Ludhiana City Centre scam was ''politically motivated.'' ''I am innocent and will be coming back to India in the next week and face the vindictiveness of the SAD-BJP Government,'' he said over telephone from London late last night. Capt Singh had gone abroad for a medical check-up.

The case under various sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against Capt Singh, his ministerial colleague Choudhary Jagjit Singh and 16 others at Ludhiana on March 23. So far two persons had been arrested in the case and are currently under police remand.

Capt Singh alleged that the case was fabricated by SAD-BJP government and was a clear case of political vendetta. The previous Congress government had presented proof of corruption against his successor Parkash Singh Badal in the court and it was the court that had directed the registration of a case against Mr Badal and his family members.

Mrs Preneet Kaur, local MP and wife of Capt Singh, meanwhile, has also criticised the SAD-BJP government. '' We are not scared by the atrocities and political vendetta of SAD-BJP government and will face it'', she said.

UNI