Gidderbaha general poll: 2 candidates face bribery and cabinet takeover charges

Two of the three major candidates of mainstream political parties who filed their nomination papers for the high-stakes by-election in Gidderbaha on Thursday face charges including corruption and election booth takeover.

Former finance minister Manpreet Badal, who filed papers as a candidate of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), is facing a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

According to election documents, he was booked by the vigilance office “for the purpose of misusing his political position as Finance Minister to influence the Bathinda Development Board to purchase two residential plots through a fake auction.”

The election document states that a first information report (FIR) was lodged against Manpreet on August 24, 2023 and no charges have been filed against her yet.

Another political comeback by ruling AAP’s candidate Hardeep Singh Dimpy is facing a court case on charges of taking over poll booths, removal of ballot papers and other charges. According to Dhillon’s election documents, charges against him in the criminal case were filed with the local court on May 24 last year.

Six years ago, in 2018, he was booked and an FIR was lodged with Gidderbaha.

The third candidate in the fray is Amrita Warring, wife of Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.