Kharar, July 25
Mr Sucha Singh Langah, former PWD Minister, Punjab today surrendered in the court of Mr Roshan Lal Chouhan Judicial Magistrate here at 10.45 a.m. The court remanded him in police custody till July 30.

Mr Langah accompanied by his counsel surrendered in the court and gave an application that the FIR No. 10 of May 16, 2002 under Sections 420/467/468/120B of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act had been registered against him at Mohali by the Vigilance Bureau. The court informed Public Prosecutor Jatinderjit Singh Punn about the surrender of Langah and ordered that he be produced at 2 p.m. Mr Punn informed the senior officers of the Vigilance Bureau, Punjab.

After 2 p.m. District Attorney Mohinder Singh Khokhar, Deputy District Attorney Hari Singh Kang along with Mr Punn got Langah formally arrested. They pleaded for 14 days’ police remand of the accused. Mr Khokhar read contents of the FIR and said Langah misused his official position and amassed properties worth Rs 33 crore through corrupt practices.

He said these properties were beyond his known sources of income. He purchased benami properties through corrupt methods. He said that Langah had close relations with militant Wassan Singh and before surrendering he remained with him for one month and several criminal cases were registered against him by the police station of his area. He gave detail of properties purchased by him in his and his family members’ names.

Defence counsel refuted the charges and said police remand was not needed as all facts were known to the prosecution. He said that the case had been registered for political reasons as there was a tussle between Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Mr Parkash Singh Badal a former Chief Minister of Punjab.

Non-bailable warrants had been issued by this court against Langah and he was evading arrest. Thirteen other accused has already been arrested in this case.

UNI adds: The Punjab Vigilance Bureau officials reached the court two hours after Langah’s surrender. During that period, the accused remained in judicial custody.

The public prosecutor asked for 14-day police remand.

The immovable property amassed by Langah included 80 acres of land in Gurdaspur district, the counsel for the Vigilance Bureau said.

The judicial magistrate instructed the Vigilance team to provide a 24-hour medical aid to the accused in custody. The order came following the submission of the defence counsel that Langah had brain tumour.

Langah, said he had surrendered following a request from former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

“I have surrendered on the request of our party chief Parkash Singh Badal,’’ Langah told UNI. He said he remained in Punjab throughout his absconding period.

He said he did not appear in court as he was not well and preparing himself mentally to face the situation.

The ex-MLA from Dhariwal in Gurdaspur district had contested unsuccessfully the last Assembly elections as he lost to independent candidate Sucha Singh Chhotepur.