The Punjab police on Wednesday, interrogated former chief minister Prakash Singh Badal in connection with a multi-billion rupee scam in the state irrigation department. There are allegations that key politicians and officials siphoned away billions of rupees from funds that were meant for irrigation works to reclaim vast tracts of waterlogged farmland in southwestern Punjab between the years 1997 and 1999. During this period, funds were specially allocated to de-water lands and rescue farmers by excavating an entire system of large drains.