Vigilance Bureau gets go-ahead to prosecute former Punjab minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu

Chandigarh, November 27

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The Punjab Government has granted prosecution sanction against former Food and Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu in the alleged transportation tender scam being probed by the state Vigilance Bureau (VB).

Recently, the VB had filed charge sheet against former minister, contractor Telu Ram and commission agent Krishan Lal in an alleged food grain transportation tenders scam in a Ludhiana court.

The former minister was arrested on August 22 on the charges of cheating and corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

An FIR under Sections 420, 409, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B, IPC, and 7, 8, 12, 13(2), Prevention of Corruption Act, had been registered at VB police station in Ludhiana.

The VB had alleged that Telu Ram, one of many such contractors, bagged a contract for lifting and transporting wheat and paddy grains from mandis of Ludhiana district after paying a bribe of Rs 26 lakh.

The VB further said in-gate passes pertaining to loading or unloading of food grains and registration numbers of vehicles used for the carriage were found to be of scooters, motorcycles or cars, which cannot transport food grains.

The details of the registration numbers of the said vehicles as well as the quantity of the commodity mentioned in these gate passes prima facie appeared to be a case of fake reporting and embezzlement of food grains, the VB added.

Krishan Lal used to procure food grains from UP and Bihar at cheap rates and sell it at higher rates in Punjab, the VB said.