Amritsar, October 20
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has nabbed Sarabhdyal Singh, the on-the-run PA of former Punjab animal husbandry minister Gulzar Singh Ranike and prime accused in the Rs 3.14 crore Border Area Development and Rural Area Development scams.

Sarabhdyal was nabbed from Nainital. His brother-in-law Harjeet Singh, who was hiding in the Bilaspur area near Nainital, has also been arrested.

The Vigilance had only yesterday announced a Rs-1 lakh reward for information about the whereabouts of Sarabhdyal, who has been on run after non-bailable warrants were issued against him for his alleged involvement in embezzlement of government funds released under Border Area Development Programme (BADP) and Rural Area Development Programme (RADP).

“He was hiding in a hotel in Nainital from where he was arrested. His brother-in-law Harjit Singh was arrested from Bilaspur. They are being brought to Amritsar,” confirmed Opinder Singh Ghuman, SSP Vigilance.

The vigilance authorities said his arrest would help them in unearthing the involvement of more persons and in further investigations in the two scams.

The city police has registered two separate cases in connection with the two scams against Sarabhdyal. The first case was registered against him in May 2011 for bungling Rs 40 lakh released by the Centre.