E-Paper
Gidderbaha bypoll: 2 candidates face graft, booth capturing charges
Former finance minister Manpreet Badal, who filed his papers as the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) candidate, is facing a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Two of three key candidates from the mainstream political parties who filed their nomination papers for the high-stakes Gidderbaha by-poll on Thursday are facing charges like corruption and election booth capturing.
Former finance minister Manpreet Badal, who filed his papers as the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) candidate, is facing a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
As per his election papers, he was booked by the vigilance bureau for allegedly “abusing his political position as the finance minister to influence Bathinda Development Board to purchase two residential plots through a sham auction.”
A first information report (FIR) was lodged against Manpreet on August 24, 2023, and no charges have been framed against him yet, reads the election document.
Another political turncoat and candidate of the ruling AAP Hardeep Singh Dimpy is facing a trial case for allegedly capturing election booths, removal of ballot papers and other charges. As per Dhillon’s election papers, charges against him in the criminal case were filed in the local court on May 24 last year.
He was booked six years ago, in 2018 and an FIR was lodged at Gidderbaha.
The third candidate in the fray is Amrita Warring, wife of Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.
