Amritsar, April 30
The Vigilance Department arrested Nirmal Singh Bajwa, alias Nimma, district president of the Patwar Union and confidant of Mr Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, a former minister (son-in-law of Mr Parkash Singh Badal, a former Chief Minister) during a surprise raid conducted by Mr Tejinder Paul Singh Sandhu, Superintendent of Police, late last evening.
Nimma has been close to Mr Surinder Singh Kairon, a former Congress Member of Parliament and father of Mr Adesh Partap Singh Kairon.
According to Mr Ajaib Singh, Inspector, the Vigilance Bureau detected movable and immovable property in the name of Nimma and his close relatives worth over Rs 10 crore which was more than his known sources of income.
During the investigation, Nimma admitted that he had purchased his palatial house (712 yards) in the posh White Avenue locality against a payment of Rs 70 lakh. However, he indulged in stamp evasion as the land was registered for less value. He said the present market rate of the house was about Rs 1.50 crore. He had also purchased a two-storey house in another posh locality — Ranjit Avenue — the market value of which was about Rs 40 lakh.
The SP (Vigilance), Mr Sandhu, said Nimma had fraudulently got registered six acres of prime trust land worth crores in the names of his close relatives.
Nimma was arrested on secret information following registration of an FIR in the Vigilance Bureau on April 29. Mr Sandhu said the property detected in the name of Nimma and his relatives seemed to be just the tip of the iceberg. He said the bureau would study the revenue record dealt by Nimma. He said it was strange that Nimma continued to be Revenue Patwari at one seat for more than 12 years. He said though Nimma was just a Class III employee drawing about Rs 7000 salary per month, he was able to amass huge property.
Nimma was produced in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate who gave police remand to the accused till May 2.
