Graft case against AIT ex-law officer: More heads likely to roll during Vigilance probe

Amritsar, September 30

More heads are likely to roll in the corruption case registered against former Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT) law officer Gautam Majithia, who was booked by the Vigilance Bureau for taking bribe from a local resident for getting his compensation awarded by the court released.

The VB has received many more videos of Majithia taking bribe from the complainant, Jatinder Singh.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court granted him interim bail on September 16 after the local court denied him the same. He was asked to join investigations. The high court also directed Majithia to furnish details of his moveable and immovable properties before the VB. The high court has also asked the VB to file a reply in this connection. However, the Vigilance Bureau today sought more time from the court for filing the same. The high court has fixed October 13 as the next date of hearing.

It has been learnt that the Chief Vigilance Officer took a serious note of the lackadaisical approach in the investigations by local VB officials so far. The The Punjab Human Rights Organisation (PHRO), an NGO, has also lodged a complaint with higher VB officials against the pathetic probe by Amritsar Vigilance officials while accusing that they had not even summon call locations and bank records in the case. The VB has now got some more videos in which Majithia was seen naming some Improvement Trust officials, it is learnt. The bribed amount was also said to be to the tune of over Rs 70 lakh. Gautam Majithia was booked by the Vigilance Bureau under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act on July 4.

The complainant, Jatinder Singh of Partap Avenue, had alleged that Majithia took a bribe for releasing compensation to him as directed by the court. He owned 6.6 acres (20 bigha) in the New Amritsar area which was acquired by the AIT on March 25, 2022. He said following a petition, the court directed the trust to release 20 per cent more compensation to him. He said he approached then law officer of the AIT who allegedly demanded Rs 20 lakh from him for getting the compensation amount released. He alleged that he took Rs 7 lakh from him as the initial payment and he made a video of the same.