Ludhiana:
The Vigilance Bureau (VB) arrested an owner of a distributor firm Batra Pharmaceuticals in the multi-crore foodgrain transportation tender scam. The accused is said to be an accomplice of a wanted accused former deputy director of Food and Civil Supplies Department Punjab, Rakesh Kumar Singla.
Singla was earlier declared a proclaimed offender in the case in which former cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu was also arrested earlier.
Now, the arrested accused has been identified as Anurag Batra of Sector 32D, Chandigarh.
According to the officials, Batra was involved in converting Singla’s ill-gotten money into white. “The accused had transferred Rs 9,03,450 lakh and Rs 19,05,750 lakh (Total Rs 28,09,200) in the bank account of Rachna Singla during the year 2021. The accused Anurag Batra had even failed to submit reasonable explanation as to what kind of help was rendered by Rachna Singla for getting five orders from Haryana Government,” said VB officer while adding that Batra had confessed his guilt and disclosed that one of his friends had him asked to convert Singla’s black money into white.
Officer added that further investigation was under progress.
As per VB official, a case was registered under sections 409, 420, 467, ,468, 471, 120-B of IPC and under sections 7, 7A, 8, 12, 13 of Prevention of Corruption Act at VB police station Ludhiana range in August 2022 against former Punjab food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu and others. During investigation of this case, it had come on record that RK Singla had purchased 12 properties on his and his wife’s name from unknown sources. Thereafter a case of disproportionate assets was registered against Singla and his wife Rachna Singla under section 13(1) (b) read with 13(2) under Prevention of Corruption Act at VB police station Ludhiana range in April 2023.
Out of these 12 properties, 4 properties are situated in City Ludhiana, 5 SCOs at Khanna, 01 at Chandigarh and 2 properties (SCOs) are at New Chandigarh in Mohali. He further added that proceedings under section 18A of Prevention of Corruption Act are under process in the Ludhiana court for attachment of all 12 properties.