Minister’s son claims innocence in fraud case

Rachna Khaira

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Tribune news Service

Jalandhar, May 22

While refuting his family’s role in the corruption case allegedly levied by Ramesh Kumar, claimed to be a private secretary to Bhagat Chunni Lal, MLA from the reserved Jalandhar (west) seat in the case, Mohinder Bhagat, his son, today said that it was a political gimmick staged by some people who wanted to tarnish his image at the BJP national executive on the SC Morcha that concluded in the city on Friday.

Bhagat said Ramesh Kumar, whose family has been accused in Rs 15 lakh fraud case, was never a PA of either MLA Bhagat Chunni Lal or him. He also stated that while the accused has claimed that the police have not taken any action into the matter; in reality two of his family members, including his sister baby and father Chaman Lal were recently released on bail.

“Ramesh is a BJP worker and has nothing to do with the case. Jagdish lal is playing at the hands of some Congress leaders and has defamed me and my family,” said Mohinder Bhagat. He also informed that he would soon initiate defamation case against him.

Jagdish Bajaj, a resident of Gur Mandi, and his sister Puja Madan had accused Ramesh Kumar, claiming him to be the private secretary to BJP MLA Bhagat Chunni Lal, and his family of allegedly duping them of Rs 15 lakh on the pretext of getting them an agency of a beverage company. Jagdish also lodged strong protest outside the venue of the BJP national executive meeting for SC Morcha on Thursday.

According to Jagdish Bajaj, Ramesh’s Brother Raman used to visit a shopkeeper in his area and kept on taking money from him on the pretext of allotting him a beverage agency.

He also claimed that while an FIR pertaining to this had already been lodged at the police station division number 3, but due to political pressure, the police have failed to arrest any of the five accused so far.

Jagdish also claimed that while Rs 5 lakh had been deposited in Ramesh’s father Chaman Lal’s account, around Rs 1 lakh was deposited in the account of his sisters’ baby. He said he had mortgaged his house recently to pay the monthly interest of around Rs 30,000 for the amount he had taken on loan.