Amritsar-Kolkata Corridor project: VB nabs Muktsar ADC Dhillon on charge of embezzling land compensation funds

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau today arrested Surinder Dhillon, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development), Muktsar. He is accused of embezzling funds from grants released for compensation related to land acquired for the Amritsar-Kolkata Corridor project in Patiala district.

A spokesperson for the VB said Dhillon, who was posted as the District Development and Panchayat Officer (DDPO) at the time, was named in an FIR on May 26, 2022. A team from the VB, Patiala Range, arrested the accused in Muktsar today.

He faces charges under Sections 406, 420, 409, 465, 467 and 120-B of the IPC, as well as Section 13(1)(A) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended by the PC (Amendment) Act, 2018.

These charges pertain to embezzlement and failure to perform his duties regarding a grant of Rs 285 crore released for compensation related to 1,103 acres of land acquired for the Amritsar-Kolkata Corridor project, specifically in the villages of Akkri, Sehra, Sehri, Takhtumajra and Pabra in Shambhu block of Patiala district.

During the investigation, the VB found that 30 per cent of the funds allocated were supposed to be deposited in the account of the Secretary (Wages) of the BDPO office, which was not done properly.

Also, as per rules, only 10 per cent of the remaining funds were intended for the development of these five villages, while the accused overspent significantly, using around Rs 65 crore on paper for development projects.

Some of these projects existed only on paper and the actual work completed did not meet the required technical specifications, he said.

Earlier, some sarpanches and members of the panchayats from these villages were also arrested during the investigation of this case. Besides, former legislator Madan Lal Jalalpur, along with his son and their associates, were also named and arrested as part of the inquiry.