Punjab Vigilance Bureau nabs proclaimed offender’s accomplice

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has apprehended Batra Pharmaceuticals’ distributer Anurag Batra, an alleged accomplice of Rakesh Kumar Singla, a proclaimed offender (PO) and former Deputy Director, Food and Civil Supplies Department, Punjab, for exchanging his ill-gotten money. He was remanded in one-day police custody by a Ludhiana court on Thursday.

A VB spokesman said during the investigation of an FIR registered against Bharat Bhushan Ashu and others, it came to light that Singla had purchased 12 properties on his and his wife’s name from unidentified sources. He was later declared a proclaimed offender (PO).

Thereafter, a case of disproportionate of assets was registered against Singla and his wife Rachna Singla at the Ludhiana range VB police station.

The VB came to know that Singla had purchased 12 properties worth around Rs 5 crore. Out of those, four are situated in Ludhiana City, five (SCOs) in Khanna, one in Chandigarh and two (SCOs) in New Chandigarh, Mohali. He further added that proceedings under Section 18A of the Prevention of Corruption Act were under process in a Ludhiana court for attachment of all 12 properties.

During the investigation, it came to light that Anurag Batra, a resident of Chandigarh, helped Singla in turning black money into white. He transferred Rs 9,0,3450 and 19,05750 (total Rs 28,09,200) in the bank account of Rachna Singla during 2021.