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Swarna Ram’s private secretary in CBI net
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 10
The CBI today arrested Bhag Singh, private secretary of Punjab Technical Education Department Minister Swarna Ram, in connection with the case in which Rajpura MLA Raj Khurana was arrested on May 5 for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 1.5 crore for hushing up a land deal complaint.

Bhag Singh was remanded to a day’s CBI custody.

Meanwhile, the court of Special CBI Judge Ritu Tagore today remanded Khurana and co-accused Devinder Singh to judicial custody.

Bhag Singh was arrested after Swarna Ram told the CBI during questioning that he had sent the note, recommending that the land deal case be forwarded to Local Bodies and Industries Minister Manoranjan Kalia, to his secretary but he had failed to do so.

CBI Special Public Prosecutor PK Dogra said Bhag Singh had been arrested for his alleged failure to send the note signed by Swarna Ram recommending action in a fraudulent land sale against Manpreet Singh, general secretary, Punjab Automobile Mechanics’ Association and CBI complainant in the case.

“The note was marked to be forwarded to Cabinet Minister Manoranjan Kalia, but it did not reach him as Bhag Singh failed to send it,” said Dogra. “We require sustained interrogation of Bhag Singh to investigate as to why he kept the note with him for a month. It was probably not sent as a bribe was being demanded for the same,” said Dogra while pleading for Bhag Singh’s custody for nine days.

However, the court allowed a day’s custody. Bhag Singh will be produced in court tomorrow. CBI sources said investigations are on to ascertain if the two Cabinet Ministers were involved in the case and they may be summoned for questioning again. They have not been given a clean chit, said the CBI.

The CBI had arrested Khurana and Devinder Singh on May 5 for allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 1.5 crore from Manpreet Singh for closing a land deal complaint against him.