Graft cases against Dr Singla, Kotfatta caught in legal tangle

Jalandhar Central MLA Raman Arora's arrest on corruption charges is the third case in which the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government has got its own MLAs arrested but the first two cases continue to be caught in legal tangle.

- Ravinder Vasudeva & Vishal Joshi

CHANDIGARH/BATHINDA:

Exactly three years ago, on May 24, 2022, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's then health minister and Mansa MLA Dr Vijay Singla was arrested for allegedly demanding a commission for the tenders cleared by his department. At the time, CM Mann had come live on social media to announce Singla's arrest and claimed that he had himself handed over the minister to the vigilance bureau.

The minister's OSD, Pardeep Kumar, was also arrested as it was alleged that Singla had asked for the bribe through him. It was alleged that Singla had sought 2% commission against the ₹58 crore tender, which came to ₹1.16 crore, but the complainant, an officer, had refused to pay.

While the vigilance bureau had filed a challan against Singla on December 12, 2022, the charges have not been framed yet. The next hearing in the case is scheduled in a Mohali court on May 25.