M A I N   N E W S

Home Guard Commandant in vigilance net
Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 18
The state Vigilance Bureau has booked the District Commandant, Home Guards, Daljit Singh Grewal, posted at Patiala. He is the first officer from any security force in the state to be booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act in the ongoing clampdown on corruption by the government. He faces charges of amassing property worth Rs 6.22 crore, disproportionate to his known sources of income.

An FIR under Sections 13 (1)-E and 13 (2) 88 of the Act has been registered by the Ludhiana wing of the bureau after the State Vigilance Department and the Punjab Government approved action against the officer. The approval came after a team headed by Mr R. P. S. Bajwa submitted a preliminary inquiry report of the property amassed by the officer. The inquiry enclosed 15 properties owned by him either in his name or in the name of his kith and kin.

Highly placed sources informed The Tribune that the Vigilance Bureau here had sent a report on July 10, last year, detailing 10 properties, but the then state government had refused permission to proceed against the accused.

Grewal had remained mired in several controversies in his over 15-year-long career. His rise has been meteoric since he rose to the present post after joining the force as a Home Guard volunteer in 1986. He was promoted as District Commandant in 1992, thanks to his proximity to a late Congress leader. He enjoyed the patronage of high-ups during the rule of SAD-BJP government as well.

Grewal was booked in separate cases of Prevention of Corruption Act in Patiala and Jalandhar, while another under Sections 452 and 342 (House Trespassing and Illegally Confining a Person) was also registered against him.

He was yet to be arrested. A vigilance team, including SP (Vigilance), R. P. S. Bajwa, raided his house in Ludhiana today but the accused had already got a pre-arrest bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Confirming the development, Mr Bajwa told The Tribune that as per the directions of the high court, the Vigilance or the police has to give him a seven day notice before arresting him. Mr Bajwa disclosed that the family of the Home Guard Commandant initially owned only 5 acres but now owns over 20 plots, houses and shops in Ludhiana only. He is also accused of running a real estate business, against service rules, through his relatives — Aman and Shant property dealers based in Ludhiana.

Following is the list of the amassed properties — two plots of 100 sq yards worth Rs 54 lakh in BRS Nagar, five shops and one plot worth Rs 27 lakh in BRS Nagar, a plot of 742 yards worth 21 lakh in BRS Nagar, 900 yards worth Rs 27 lakh in Rajguru Nagar, a plot of 240 yards worth Rs 30 lakh at Barrewal village, a plot of 1 kanal and an 816 yards house-cum-plot worth Rs 64 lakh at Barrewal village, farm land measuring 8 acres, one kanal and 8 marlas worth Rs 2.5 crore at Baddowal, a plot worth Rs 25 lakh at Sunet village, Ambassador cars, motor cycles and a ford tractor — Rs 9 lakh, a plot of 1725 yards worth Rs 52 lakh at BRS Nagar, a plot of 682 yards in BRS Nagar worth Rs 21 lakh, a plot measuring 510 yards at BRS Nagar worth Rs 15 lakh and a plot measuring 510 yards at BRS Nagar worth Rs 15 lakh.