Probe goes slow, chances of recovery recede

PK Jaiswar in Amritsar

A slow pace of investigation and loopholes in the legal system could lead to undue delay in finding out the real culprits and fixing the problem brought out by the multi-crore scam unearthed in the urban local bodies of Amritsar. 

Several investigating officials have expressed their helplessness in recovering the embezzled amount. Police officers associated with a special investigating team (formed after the vigilance report came out) say they have not been able to thoroughly interrogate the six suspects who managed to get interim bail from the High Court. Following a report of the chief vigilance officer of local bodies, the police booked seven Amritsar Improvement Trust officials. Yet only one person, Daman Bhalla, deputy finance and audit controller, was arrested and is currently under judicial custody. On the other hand, the MC has yet to file a police complaint.

Not satisfied with the statements of the suspects (who got bail), the police have appealed to the high court seeking police remand of the suspects in the AIT scam. The case is due for hearing on July 16. 

“As far as recovering the embezzled public amount is concerned, we are yet to get final reports of the forensic audit being conducted by the chief vigilance office of local bodies,” said Harjit Singh Dhaliwal, additional deputy commissioner of police (crime and investigation), heading the SIT. 

“We are also preparing a list of the properties belonging to the accused officials and their relatives,” says Dhaliwal. Seizure of properties would be initiated after the probe is completed, he said. The AIT scam came to light over eight months ago. “One must understand that forensic audit is a lengthy process that requires going through many records before zeroing in on the discrepancies,” ADCP pointed out. 

Prominent lawyers, on the other hand, question the seriousness of the police and the departments concerned to immediately seize the properties of the alleged fraudsters to recover the misappropriated amount. 

“The immediate step should be identifying the properties registered in the name of the suspects or their relatives and seize them before the accused sell them. A separate team of honest officers from different departments such as the income tax, the police and the department concerned should initiate a parallel procedure to recover the public money,” says Sarabjit Singh Verka, a lawyer and activist of Punjab Human Rights Organisation, an NGO. 

Another lawyer, Ravi Mahajan, says collusion of higher-ups is almost a certainty because it is impossible to bungle such huge amounts without the knowledge of senior officials in the AIT or AMC. “How did the accused officials manage to open so may bank accounts in the name of the department without the permission of their seniors?” he asks. 

“The intentions of the local bodies minister to make these departments corruption-free are good. But the manner in which investigations are being carried out raises many doubts,” says criminal lawyer Sandeep Gorsi. 

Rajesh Honey, BJP’s district president, says the properties of the accused, who were convicted by the court after completion of trial, should be attached to recover the public money.