Bail pleas of 15 accused dismissed

Jalandhar, June 6

The court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Dharminder Paul Singla today dismissed the bail applications of 15 suspects in the Vigilance Bureau case on the alleged misappropriation of funds in Jang-e-Azadi Memorial.

PWD engineers — both retired and serving — and non-government employees, who were arrested by the VB in connection with the case on May 22, were among those who filed the bail applications.

A case under Sections 420, 406, 409, 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC and Section 13(1)A read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act had been registered against the suspects at the VB police station, Jalandhar range.

Two weeks ago, the VB had booked 26 persons, including Barjinder S Hamdard, Managing Editor and president of the Executive Committee of Jang-e-Azadi Memorial Foundation, and Vinay Bublani, IAS officer and former Chief Executive Officer, of the project.

Hamdard and Bublani have got stay from the Punjab and Haryana High Court over their arrest till July 18. The VB has pointed to a financial loss of Rs 27.23 crore to the government exchequer by making extra payments to the contractors.