Patiala: A Punjab vigilance bureau team probing corruption charges against former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s adviser Bharat Inder Singh Chahal reached his Alcazar Marriage Palace on Patiala-Sirhind Road on Monday to ascertain the value of the property.
After the marriage palace, the VB sleuths measured the five-story shopping complex on Nabha Road, which also has a banquet hall. The Alcazar was inaugurated in 2018 by the then chief minister, and the entire bureaucracy, including top brass of police, vigilance bureau, and IAS officers remained present at the function. The property is under scanner after the anti-corruption agency opened a formal inquiry against Chahal in a disproportionate assets case.
“A request has also been sent to the immigration authorities to issue a lookout circular (LOC) against Chahal so that he can’t flee the country. His phone is switched off and he is not traceable for the past 10 days,” said a senior VB official, who did not wish to be named.
He said the team is ascertaining the value of the property as Chahal had allegedly amassed property through unfair means while he was an adviser to the then chief minister. Chahal was an adviser with cabinet rank from 2017 to 2021 when Captain Amarinder Singh was the Punjab chief minister. He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with Amarinder this July.
{{/usCountry}}He said the team is ascertaining the value of the property as Chahal had allegedly amassed property through unfair means while he was an adviser to the then chief minister. Chahal was an adviser with cabinet rank from 2017 to 2021 when Captain Amarinder Singh was the Punjab chief minister. He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with Amarinder this July.
{{/usCountry}}About a fortnight ago, Patiala police had reached Chahal’s house in Patiala but he was not at home. He has since been incommunicado, and efforts to contact him have proved futile. Chahal was also issued a summons to appear before the investigation team.
In 2007, Chahal was booked for corruption during the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP rule and faced a probe by the vigilance bureau. However, in 2016, he was acquitted in the case as all 77 government witnesses turned hostile.
Later that year, it became a poll issue and set the narrative that the Badals and Captain had struck a compromise.
Despite several attempts, BIS Chahal could not be contacted for comments.
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FIR registered against the EX MLA Jalalpur’s son
Meanwhile, the district police, on the complaint of the Patiala Development Authority, have booked 10 persons for carving illegal colonies. Amongst those booked includes Gagandeep Jalalpur, son of ex-MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur, and three other relatives of Jalalpur. The case has been registered for carving illegal colonies in Rajpura and Ghanaur area.