Foodgrain scam: VB nabs accomplice of ex-dy director

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has apprehended Anurag Batra, distributor of a firm, Batra Pharmaceuticals, who was an accomplice of Rakesh Kumar Singla, a proclaimed offender (PO) and former deputy director, Food and Civil Supplies Department, Punjab, for converting the latter’s ill-gotten money into white. He has been sent to one-day police remand by a Ludhiana court today.

Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson for the state VB said during investigation of an FIR registered at the VB police station, Ludhiana range, against Bharat Bhushan Ashu, former Food and Civil Supplies Minister, and others on August 16, 2022, it had came on record that the former Deputy Director had purchased 12 properties on his and wife’s name from unknown sources. He was later declared a proclaimed offender (PO) in the case.

Thereafter, a case of disproportionate assets was registered against Singla and his wife Rachna Singla on April 19, 2023.

He said during the probe, it was found that Singla had collected huge bribe money during his posting in the Food and Civil Supplies Department and in criminal connivance with his wife, he had purchased number of properties in her name which were disproportionate to his known sources of income.

The spokesperson said during investigation, it also came to light that Anurag Batra, a resident of Chandigarh, had helped Singla by converting his black money into white. He had transferred Rs 9,0,3,450 lakh and 19,05,750 lakh (total Rs 28,09,200) in the bank account of Singla’s wife during 2021. Batra failed to submit plausible explanation as to what kind of help was rendered by Rachna Singla for getting five orders from the Haryana Government.

It has also been revealed by Batra during investigation that on those days when the money was transferred, she was abroad. The spokesperson revealed that Batra had confessed that one of his friends had asked him to convert black money of Singla into white. Further investigation was under progress, he said.