JIT embezzlement case: VB nabs two more absconding accused

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 29

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Sunday arrested two accused Rajinder Singh and Ravi Kumar, both from Bilga village of Jalandhar, in the embezzlement of compensation pertaining to the acquisition of land for the Jalandhar Improvement Trust.

With the arrest of the duo, who had been absconding for more than three years, a total of 14 accused have been arrested so far and the search for the rest is on.

Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson for the VB said that 94.97 acres of land was acquired by the Improvement Trust Jalandhar for the Surya Enclave extension scheme. While distributing the compensation, many accused in connivance with Trust officials embezzled the compensation to the tune of Rs 5,49,18,523 in the names of fake persons and by preparing forged documents. In this regard, an FIR, dated October 29, 2013, under Sections 409, 419, 420, 465, 467, 468, 201 and 120-B of the IPC and Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered at the New Barandri police station. The case was later transferred to the VB for further investigation.

The spokesperson further said the main accused, Gobind Ram and Parshotam Lal, had embezzled an amount of Rs 2,12,76,211 and Rs 98,77,843, respectively. Of the amount, Rs 35,00,000 and Rs 20,00,000 were received by Rajinder Singh and Ravi Kumar through cheques from the main accused.

He added in this case, accused Manjit Sharma, Sukhdev Singh Patwari, Prem Prakash, lawyer Mohit Bhardwaj, lawyer Deepak Sadana, Amandeep Singh, Kulwant Singh, Jatinder Kumar Sharma, Tarlok Singh, Sandeep Sharma, Surinder Kumar and Gurdeep Singh had already been arrested.

In order to arrest the rest of the absconding accused, the Vigilance Bureau was conducting raids at their residences and other places, who would also be arrested soon, he said.