Rampura Phul (Bathinda), July 29
A team of the Vigilance Bureau, led by the SSP, Bathinda Range, Mr Baljinder Singh Grewal, today sealed the local house and godowns of Akali MLA and former Chairman, Milkfed, Punjab, Mr Jagdeep Singh Nakai, who was arrested late last night by the Vigilance Bureau in Chandigarh in a criminal case registered against him.

The vigilance team comprising one SSP, two DSPs and some other officials, which descended on the house of Mr Nakai sans a search warrant, was not allowed into it by hundreds of Akali supporters assembled there.

Finding the house locked, the vigilance team deferred the search of the house till tomorrow. However, a group of Vigilance Bureau sleuths led by Mr Baljeet Singh Butter, DSP, searched the office of Mr Nakai, who along with his father deals in fertilisers.

Mr Grewal said a search was to be carried out on various premises owned by Mr Nakai in connection with the case registered against him at a Mohali police station but as there was no member of his family present it did not take place. He added that he told the supporters of Mr Nakai that if they were willing they would carry out the search in their presence, but none gave his consent.

The Akali supporters, including local leaders of the BJP, raised slogans against the chief minister when the house was sealed. The local police also deployed a team of eight policemen led by an Assistant Sub-inspector of Police to guard the house round the clock till the search was carried out.

An official of the Vigilance Bureau team pointed out that the search would start at 11 a.m. tomorrow.

The vigilance official said they had received a message from the family of Mr Nakai that they would reach here from Chandigarh by 10 a.m. tomorrow and would assist them.

Meanwhile, the whereabouts of Mr Tarsem Lal, a close associate of Akali MLA Jagdeep Singh Nakai, who is posted as Field Officer at the Markfed office here, could not be known despite the fact that he was granted bail by the SDM, Mr Sukhwinder Singh, today. He was arrested in a criminal case yesterday.

The case was registered against him under Section 107 and 151 of the CrPC at a local police station on the complaint of a local businessman, Mr Suresh Kumar.

Those who are known to Mr Tarsem Lal alleged that he had been picked up by the Vigilance Bureau sleuths as soon as he came out of the courtroom. However, Mr Baljinder Singh Grewal, SSP, Vigilance Bureau (Bathinda Range) said he had no knowledge about Mr Tarsem Lal.

The local police, when asked about the whereabouts of his, also could not give a satisfactory reply.