Former Punjab transport secy made assets worth more than double his income: VB
Former Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer Mandeep Singh, who was arrested on Monday night in a case of disproportionate assets, had expenditure and investment worth Rs 9.7 crore in 10 years, while his income from known sources was only Rs 4.13 crore.
Former Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer Mandeep Singh, who was arrested on Monday night in a case of disproportionate assets, had expenditure and investment worth Rs 9.7 crore in 10 years, while his income from known sources was only Rs 4.13 crore. That means a difference of 135%, according to investigations by the state vigilance bureau.
Mandeep, who was produced before a district court in SAS Nagar and remanded in judicial custody, remained state’s secretary, forests and wildlife; was also state transport director; and was commissioner of gurdwara elections, Punjab, before he retired on May 31 last.
On Wednesday, the VB is likely to file a chargesheet against the 1991-batch IAS officer of Punjab cadre, besides two of his alleged accomplices — Panchkula-based Avtar Singh, who is a stakeholder with him in a hotel in Zirakpur, and Makhan Singh of Chamkaur Sahib who allegedly helped him make fake documents for sale-purchase of property to turn black money into white.
“Investigations have found that Mandeep Singh owns three residential properties, one each in Sector 3, 8 and 33 in Chandigarh; a house in Shimla, and three showrooms in Chandigarh, two of them in Sector 22 and one in Sector 10,” said a senior vigilance officer who did not want to be named.
The officer, who did not want to be named as the challan is yet to be filed, added, “He also has 113 acres in Chamkaur Sahib and holds about 80% share in a hotel in Zirakpur.” He also floated a firm in which most stakeholders other than him were fake, it is alleged. “Many of the stakeholders denied having invested in the firm, thus actually the entire money was his,” sources further said.
‘Will expose all after poll results’
The bureau had begun its probe into Mandeep Singh’s assets in January 2014. Mandeep termed himself a victim: “I have been falsely implicated in the case owing to political vendetta. After March 11, they (current government of SAD-BJP) will be wiped out, and on March 14 I will expose all.”
Talking to reporters in the court premises, he said, “This is a totally baseless case. This started when I was transport director. I used to work to promote government transport, and came in direct conflict with private transporters.”
