Police charge ex-Punjab chief

By Asit Jolly
BBC correspondent in Chandigarh

A former state minister of the Indian state of Punjab has had charges brought against him for corruption.

Parkash Singh Badal (r) may not be arrested

The charges against Parkash Singh Badal were brought by vigilance bureau which was set up to tackle corruption.

Mr Badal's son and wife have also had cases filed against them under India's anti-corruption law.

The move comes at the end of a 16 month-long investigation which some people have described as a witch hunt.

Earlier arrest

No formal statement has been made on the vigilance bureau's action but police told the BBC that the Badal family have been charged with corruption relating to the five years when Mr Badal was state chief minister.

Sources say the cases have been brought against the former chief minister, his son, Sukhbir Singh - who is a parliamentarian - and his wife Surinder Kaur Badal following the earlier arrest of one of his nephews.

Key details of the alleged corruption by the Badals are also believed to have been provided by some of their business associates who are also in custody.

But despite the criminal charges, the vigilance bureau has still not made any move to arrest either Mr Badal or the others named police report.

Detectives have indicated there may be no reason to arrest Mr Badal and the others if they co-operate with the investigation when required.