Amritsar, September 30
Sleuths of the CBI raided the house of Mr Nirmaljit Singh Kahlon, a former Akali Minister, in the posh Ranjit Avenue here this morning in connection with the recruitment of Panchayat Secretaries during the SAD-BJP government.
Though the CBI conducted countrywide raids on top bureaucrats of various departments, Mr Kahlon is the only senior Akali leader who was questioned by the team. His case was reportedly handed over to the CBI by the state government.
It may be mentioned that as many as 905 Panchayat Secretaries were recruited during the Badal government in 2001, reportedly on the direction of court. Earlier, the Congress Government had terminated their services.
The Vigilance Department raided the residence of Mr Kahlon, a few months after the formation of the Capt Amarinder Singh government and a case was registered for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
Mr Kahlon, his son Ravi Kahlon and other family members were present in the house during the CBI raid. The CBI team carried out search for more than four hours. It searched beds, almirahs, trunks and beddings .
Mr Kahlon claimed that the CBI had failed to find anything objectionable. He said that he was framed in a false case with a view to settling “political scores”. He said the raids amounted to contempt of court, as the judgment in this regard had been pending in the court. Mr Kahlon alleged that attempts were being made to defame the Shiromani Akali Dal by framing their senior leaders in fabricated cases.
Moga: The CBI carried out a search operation at the Chandigarh and Moga residences of the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Mandeep Singh, in connection with the case of recruitment of Panchayati Raj Officers during the SAD-BJP regime in 2001.
According to sources, the CBI searched the DC’s residence in Sector 34-C, Chandigarh, and his official residence in Moga early in the morning. Sources said Mr Mandeep Singh was the Director of Rural Development Department at the time of the SAD-BJP government in 2001 and some irregularities were reported in the recruitment of Panchayati Raj Officers.
Sources said some BSNL employees from Moga were also present as witnesses during the operation that lasted for about four hours. The CBI had reportedly sealed the Chandigarh residence of the DC. However, no details of any seizure of documents were available.
On the other hand, the Deputy Commissioner denied that the CBI carried out any search operation at any of his residences.
Solan: Separate teams of the CBI raided the premises of various government offices and professional institutes here today. It was reliably learnt that the CBI teams today descended on the premises of the Solan College of Homoeopathy and Medicine, Chambhaghat.
While details could not be confirmed, it was learnt that the raids followed directions from the CBI headquarters to inspect the records pertaining to financial transactions of these professional institutes. Due to the reported tax evasion worth crores in various parts of the country by various professional institutes, the CBI sleuths here were examining the funds collected by these institutes.
It was learnt that 200 CBI sleuths were conducting raids in various parts of the state.
