Amritsar Trust scam: Sidhu bats for third party audit in Punjab

Amritsar (Punjab) [India], Sept. 10 (ANI): Reacting strongly to the Amritsar Improvement Trust land scam in which the government's money was allegedly siphoned, Punjab Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu has demanded a third party audit in Punjab.

Speaking to ANI, Sidhu said, "We must learn lesson from this scam and regular checking of accounts and third party audit of all departments is a must."

Hitting indirectly at the opposition, Sidhu said that if third party audit of entire Punjab takes place, many skeletons will fall from the closet.

"A volcano is waiting to erupt and I am waiting to punish all those who backstabbed Punjab," he added.

Sidhu further said, "We are trying to turn the weakness of previous government into our strength. We are doing a damage control as many irregularities were done by the previous government and Punjab was left reeling under heavy debt."

About the scam, Sidhu told that FIR has been registered against 7 persons in which certain employees of the Improvement Trust embezzled Rs. 80 crores by opening various bank accounts.

Talking about the upcoming Municipal Elections in Punjab, the Minister said that the Congress party will contest the polls on development agenda and it is all likelihood that the elections take place in December.

Earlier last month, Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly, Sukhpal Khaira, urged Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to either quit or handover investigations of corruption cases involving Amritsar and Ludhiana improvement trusts to the CBI for trial outside the state. (ANI)

By Aseem Bassi

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI