Punjab CM acquitted in decade-old graft case

In a major relief to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, a trial court in Mohali on Friday acquitted him and 17 others in a 10 year old corruption case involving a prime land transfer.

The others acquitted included former Punjab Speaker Kewal Krishan and two former ministers -- all the three are now dead.

The case was registered by the state Vigilance Bureau on the recommendation of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, alleging a scam in granting exemptions to transfer of 32.1 acre prime land of the Amritsar Improvement Trust to a private realtor.

Special Judge Jaswinder Singh ordered the discharge of all the accused while accepting a closure report filed by the Vigilance Bureau.

Amarinder Singh was present in the court along with his wife Preneet Kaur.

"Justice has finally prevailed after a decade in the Amritsar Improvement Trust case. It's been proved that allegations were motivated, borne out of sheer political vendetta. 

"Politics has no place for such motivated action against opponents. Thank the almighty and my legal team," the Chief Minister tweeted.

The Vigilance Bureau had registered the case at a police station in Mohali on September 11, 2008.

It had filed cancellation report in October 2016 when the Akali government was in power in the state.

Earlier, the Vigilance Bureau gave a clean chit to Amarinder Singh, his son Raninder Singh and others in the case, known as Rs 1,144-crore Ludhiana City Centre scam.- IANS