Chandigarh: Senior BJP leader and former Punjab minister Balbir Singh Sidhu failed to appear before the Vigilance Bureau (VB) for questioning for the second consecutive time on Friday in connection with the alleged disproportionate assets case, sources said. Sidhu, who was the Health Minister in the Amarinder Singh led Congress government in Punjab before he switched to the BJP, was summoned by the VB to appear for questioning today after he failed to appear before before the anti-graft agency in the case on May 5.
Earlier, Sidhu was grilled for over eight hours by the VB in the case on Apr. 21 this year. Sources said that Sidhu was asked about his alleged disproportionate assets acquired during his tenure as Health Minister of Punjab. Sidhu was also asked about details of bank accounts. It is learnt that after he was asked to appear for questioning along with detailed documents on May 5, Sidhu had asked time from the VB to collect the documentary evidence in his support.
Sidhu is said to have been asked about alleged irregularities made in the tendering of PPE kits in April 2021 during his tenure as Punjab Health Minister. Besides, questions were also asked of him about alleged diversion of Rs 5 crore of the 8.3 crore buprenorphine tablets in the Punjab Health Department during his tenure.
Sources said that the vigilance will also investigate the property acquired by Balbir Singh Sidhu during his tenure as Health minister. However, Sidhu has termed that vigilance case as “politically motivated”. Earlier, Gurpreet Kangar, who left the Congress and joined the BJP, was questioned by the vigilance.
