SAS Nagar, May 17
A former PWD Minister in the previous Akali Government, Mr Sucha Singh Langah, was last night booked by the Punjab Vigilance Department for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
At least nine persons, including two sub-divisional officer (SDOs) in the PWD (B & R) and a senior councillor of the SAS Nagar Municipal Council have also been trapped in the case for allegedly acting as touts of the Akali minister in departmental promotions and recruitments. The Akali councillor, Mr Amrik Singh, who was a confidant of the former PWD minister, was picked by the vigilance sleuths from his Phase 2 residence here last night.
Another person, who also allegedly acted as a tout for the minister, has also been arrested by the Vigilance Department. The minister along with the other persons have also been booked for cheating and forgery. However, the details of the FIR registered at the Phase 8 police station were not confirmed by the vigilance officials. A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120 B of the IPC has been registered against the minister and the other persons.
Sources in the department said raids were conducted at Ropar, SAS Nagar, Gurdaspur and other stations in Punjab to nab other suspects. The sleuths are said to be ascertaining the background and the modus operandi of the two SDOs, Ganagjeet and Nimarjeet, who allegedly connived with outsiders in the promotion and recruitments.
It is learnt that the Vigilance Department has written to the authorities at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, and Raja Sansi Airport, Amritsar, to ensure that the minister did not escape from the country. The details of the passport of the minister have been flashed to all airports.
When contacted, the Punjab PWD Minister, Mr Partap Singh Bajwa, said he was not aware of the case. However, he said there were a few corrupt officers in the PWD who connived with the former PWD Minister to indulge in gross irregularities. Refusing to disclose the names of the officers, he said strict action against them was on the cards.
