Hamdard, IAS officer Bublani skip VB hearing

However, six executive engineers of the public works department (PWD), who were also summoned, appeared before the VB sleuths and were questioned for over two hours

Ajit Group editor-in-chief Barjinder Singh Hamdard and senior IAS officer Vinay Bublani didn’t appear for hearing before the Punjab vigilance bureau on Friday regarding a probe into the alleged misuse of funds during the execution of ₹315-crore Jang-e-Azadi Memorial in Kartarpur in Jalandhar.

One of the VB officials, who didn’t wish to be named, said IAS officer Vinay Bublani informed the department that he couldn’t appear for the hearing due to a cabinet meeting of the Punjab government.

However, six executive engineers of the public works department (PWD), who were also summoned, appeared before the VB sleuths and were questioned for over two hours. They were directed to present details of civil and interior work carried out by the department.

One of the VB officials, who didn’t wish to be named, said IAS officer Vinay Bublani informed the department that he couldn’t appear for the hearing due to a cabinet meeting of the Punjab government.

“Hamdard failed to give any suitable reason for his absence. The investigation is still on and we will summon both of them again in the coming days,” an official said.

Meanwhile, the VB will be submitting its reply in the Punjab and Haryana high court on August 16 about the status report of the probe and findings of the investigation to date.