Ex-IAS officer KBS Sidhu called for questioning in Rs1,000 crore Irrigation Dept. scam

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has summoned KBS Sidhu IAS (retired), the then Additional Chief Secretary of the state’s Irrigation Dept, on Tuesday for questioning him in connection with the Rs 1000 crore scam that took place during the Parkash Singh Badal regime.

The Vigilance Bureau, earlier issued a Look-Out-Circular (LOC) against Sidhu, but he had flown out of the country before that as he was tipped off in advance about the action.

KBS Sidhu has now returned from the US after the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the VB not to arrest him on his arrival at the Delhi International Airport.

Sindhu contended before the High Court that the investigation into the Irrigation Department scam stood completed much earlier, and challans had been presented against the accused. A fresh investigation under the garb of an inquiry cannot be allowed in the same FIR. The High Court, while giving relief to Sidhu, asked the VB not to adopt any coercive methods against him as he was willing to return and join the inquiry.

According to the statement of the key accused in the scam, contractor Gurinder Singh alias Bhappa, recorded before the VB earlier, he paid a bribe of Rs 5.5 crore to KBS Sidhu for getting tailor-made tenders. The VB has procured records of financial transactions between the contractor and Sidhu’s son. Both of whom were business partners.

The VB team handling the Irrigation Department scam is busy preparing a long list of questions for Sidhu, who may be grilled for several hours on Tuesday.

The next high-profile person to be questioned in the scam will be former Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal, who is expected to return soon from abroad in view of the relief given to him by the High Court. A Look-Out-Circular was also issued against him though he had flown out of the country before that.

Interestingly, the main accused contractor Gurinder Singh Bhappa, Sarvesh Kaushal, Ex-Ministers Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, and Janmeja Singh Sekhon have engaged the same counsel, R. S. Cheema, a  senior advocate.