By Anjali Singh Deswal-
PATIALA: Former deputy commissioner of the royal city, Vikas Garg, who was allegedly involved in the infamous Patiala land-scam case worth Rs 250 crore, faced a setback when a court rejected his application for anticipatory bail today.
The Patiala vigilance bureau had registered a case against 10 persons including Garg on November 9 for their involvement in the case. Following the registration of the case, raid are being carried out to nab all the accused.
On Monday anticipatory bail applications of three of the accused, Naib tehsildar G.S. Walia, kanungo Pritpal Singh and patwari Suresh Kumar were also rejected by the additional sessions judge and today bail pleas of Vikas Garg and property seller/purchaser Ravdeep Singh, were rejected.
A case under Sections 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of the IPC and 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act was registered by the VB against Vikas Garg, former DC of Patiala, district revenue officer Rajbir Singh, then naib tehsildar G.S. Walia, kanungo Pritpal Singh, patwari Suresh Kumar, property seller/purchaser Ravdeep Singh, N.P. Singh, Devinder Singh Sandhu, Jaswant Singh and Yashpal Aggarwal.
Advocate of Yashpal Aggarwal and Davinder Singh Sandhu were absent during today’s court proceedings so their applications will be considered on Monday.
Sale deed of a government property that houses the offices of civil surgeon, district town planner, the district education officer and employment exchange was made illegally by the accused in October last year and it was made in favour of some private people. The property’s market price is Rs 250 crore, said Pritam Singh, SSP (Vigilance).
Before the FIR was registered, all of the accused left their homes as they feared legal action.
A report about a case being registered against the accused was submitted by the economic offence wing of the VB to Punjab chief secretary Rakesh Singh.
It was also stated by two senior officials from the government departments in two separate inquiries that without senior officials getting involved, the government property could not have been sold away.
