Former Punjab minister grilled in City Center scam

Ludhiana, June 7 (UNI) The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) today grilled former Congress minister Choudhary Jagjit Singh for five hours in the multi crore Ludhiana City Center scam.

Choudhary Jagit Singh alongwith former chief minister Capt Amarimder Singh and 16 others has been named in the case registered by the Bureau in the scam that pertained to the awarding of the contract for Asia's biggest commercial and housing project to Delhi-based Today Homes and Infrastructure Private Limited.

Choudhary Jagit Singh was the Local Bodies minister when the contract was awarded to Today Homes with the approval of the Ludhiana Improvement Trust.

Capt Singh was questoned by the VB for nearly seven hours at Patiala last month. Both Capt Singh and his former ministerial colleague have been granted anticipatory bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the case.

Refering to the grilling of the former minister, VB SSP Kanwarjit Singh Sandhu claimed that the Congress leader was given a list of 30 questions. " We are not satisfied with the replies he gave", he said while talking to mediapersons in the evening.

According to the VB officer Choudhary Jagjit Singh kept shifting the blame on the Improvement Trust and its then chairman Paramjit Singh Sibia during the grilling. Sibia too is one of the main accused in the case registered after the SAD-BJP government came to power in March.

Mr Sandhu said that the former minister had been asked to provide a detail to the Vigilance of his and his family's assets.

The VB had not been satisfied with the replies Capt Singh had given during his grilling at Patiala. The VB had also asked Capt Singh to provide a detail of his assets to the Vigilance.

UNI