M A I N   N E W S

2 ex-Haryana ministers held
State IAS officer picked up from Delhi
Yoginder Gupta
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 25
Within days of Mr M.S. Malik, DGP, taking over additional charge as the Director, Haryana State Vigilance Bureau (SVB), the bureau has started cracking the whip.

The bureau arrested two former ministers within the past 24 hours and has also picked up an IAS officer of the state cadre from Delhi.

Rao Narbir Singh and Mr Vinod Marya, who were ministers in the Bansi Lal Cabinet as well as in the Chautala Cabinet before the Assembly was dissolved in December, 1999, were arrested under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, on the charge of possessing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.

While Mr Marya was arrested from Panchkula, Mr Narbir Singh was arrested from Gurgaon.

Mr Marya, who was produced before Additional Sessions Judge of Panchkula H.S. Bhangu today, was remanded in police custody for two days. It is learnt that he has been taken to Ambala by the SVB for further interrogation. The case against Mr Marya has been registered at the bureau’s Ambala police station.

According to sources in the bureau, Mr Narbir Singh was arrested from Gurgaon today. He is likely to be produced before a court of law tomorrow for remand proceedings.

Mr Marya, who remained a minister from January 15, 1997, to December 14, 1999, the bureau has alleged, purchased over two acres of land in Sunderpur Dhani village, near Barwala, in Panchkula district, during that period. The land was purchased in the name of his son, Vishal, and a close relative, Mr Krishan Gopal. Both were made proprietors of Venus Property Farm, in which about Rs 55 lakh was invested.

The bureau alleged that the former minister had shown the investment in the name of his wife and Vishal, both of whom are dependent on Mr Marya and have no independent income.

The bureau has also alleged that the money invested in the poultry farm has neither been accounted for nor has been reflected in Mr Marya’s income tax returns.

According to the bureau sources, Mr Ajit Mohan Sharan, an IAS officer of the Haryana cadre, was picked up from his Delhi residence. He, too, was being brought to Ambala. He had not reached the vigilance police station till late in the evening.

Mr Sharan was the Managing Director of the Haryana Financial Corporation (HFC) when Mr Bhajan Lal was the Chief Minister. After an inquiry, the bureau had alleged that a loss of over Rs 97 crore was caused to the state exchequer by officers and employees of the HFC by bestowing undue favours on certain parties. While it recommended the registration of criminal cases against six officials of the corporation, departmental action was recommended against Mr Sharan.

A few months ago, Mr Sharan was reverted by the Centre on the request of the Haryana Government. However, he proceeded on leave and did not join duty in the state.

It is not known whether a fresh case has been registered against Mr Sharan or he has been picked up by the bureau in the case in which departmental action was recommended against the officer.

That the SVB, which had slowed down its investigations against politicians after the Karunanidhi drama in Chennai, would again be active was indicated by Mr Chautala when he told this reporter recently that the cases in which the bureau had conducted investigations earlier, were now mature for further action. Mr Chautala was asked why the Haryana bureau had lagged behind its Punjab counterpart in apprehending former ministers.