Former Punjab CM to answer 250 questions in 8 weeks

Chandigarh: The Punjab police have given former chief minister Amarinder Singh 250 questions to answer in a disproportionate assets case, and they want the responses within eight weeks, sources said Monday.

Singh was questioned Sunday by the State Vigilance Bureau in a case of amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. But he couldn't satisfy the interrogators with his replies, said the sources.

A team headed by Shiv Kumar, senior superintendent of police (Vigilance Bureau), questioned Singh at Patiala Circuit House.

The Vigilance Bureau summoned Amarinder and his son Raninder Singh for questioning in the case registered against them at Patiala June 20.

However, Raninder did not attend the questioning as he has gone to Italy to have shooting lessons for Beijing Olympics, with prior permission from the court.

Investigating officer Shiv Kumar said Amarinder remained evasive during the questioning and did not give satisfactory answers to many questions.

After the first round of questioning Sunday, the former chief minister was allowed to go home for lunch and then return for more quizzing.

Amarinder said there was no problem as the Vigilance Bureau was doing its duty and the officials were very cooperative.

Most of the questions were related to the previous Ludhiana City centre, and there was no new element in the questioning, he added. His lawyer M.L. Saggar was with him during the interrogation.

Amarinder, a Congress party leader, answered some of the questions while some he refused to answer as he needed some additional information and supporting facts, said a Vigilance Bureau official.

Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Punjab Congress chief, had told party workers to stay away from Amarinder as the questioning pertains to his personal wealth and assets and the party has nothing to do with it.

Despite this, many party activists and Congressmen were present to reiterate their support to the former chief minister. However, assembly of more than five people was prohibited in the area to avoid any untoward incident.

A first information report by the police, related to the case, mentions Amarinder's flats in Noida and Goa and property in Dubai, Sweden, the US, Canada and Britain. He has also been charged with sending Rs.260 million abroad through illegal 'hawala' channels and over Rs.4 million to a Swiss bank.