Chandigarh, June 18: Punjab Police today questioned former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal in connection with an alleged scam in a Rs 400-crore irrigation project during his reign. Badal, when contacted, however denied he had been questioned by police officials in any case.

Ferozepur Range DIG R P Meena, under whom the investigation in the scam is in progress, told a news agency that SP(detective) Monish Chawla and DSP M I S Behal questioned Badal at his official residence here for about 45 minutes in connection with a case of forgery, corruption and conspiracy registered against several engineers in Gidderbaha in Muktsar district in 2002. The case was registered following an inquiry by the chief engineer irrigation, he said adding the case pertains to corruption in installation of shallow tubewell and acquaducts in Faridkot, Muktsar and Ferozepur districts.

Badal told a news agency that "the present government is not initiating steps in accordance with law." "They (investigating agencies) are forcing people to sign blank papers," he said adding "all that is being done is illegal."

Badal said he would soon move the Human Rights Commission to protest the "illegal methods" adopted by Amarinder Singh government to ""create fear" among Akalis."

Bureau Report