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Foodgrain transportation scam: VB questions father, cousin of Bharat Bhushan Ashu’ PA
VB had booked Pankaj Malhotra, Bhushan Ashu’ PA, on August 17, in the case of allotting transportation tenders on fake registration numbers of vehicles
As part of its probe into the alleged foodgrains transportation tenders scam, the Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Tuesday questioned former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu’s father and the cousin of the accused’s personal assistant Pankaj Meenu Malhotra.
A vigilance official said Malhotra’s father and cousin were summoned to appear at the office on Tuesday and were sent home after questioning. A hunt is on for the arrest of Malhotra, who is still at large.
The bureau had booked Malhotra on August 17, in the case of allotting transportation tenders on fake registration numbers of vehicles. Vigilance officials said Malhotra was directly involved in ensuring tender allotment to favourable persons.
VB has already sought details, from the municipal corporation (MC) records, on properties owned by Malhotra after the probe found that the accused owned units in prime locations across the city, most of which were acquired in a span of a few years. These included a house, commercial buildings, hotels in areas like near Middha chowk area, Model Gram among others.
Officials also sent a list of about half a dozen properties linked with Malhotra to the MC for ascertaining whether any building plans have been approved against the units or not.
Speaking of the same, MC head draftsman MS Bedi said the civic body has received a letter from the vigilance seeking information on approvals against the listed building.
“A few buildings are over one or two decades old and we will have to check whether the MC has online records available pertaining to that period. We will check the record and provide the available details to the vigilance department,” Bedi added.
