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Ludhiana: Arrested RTA official sent to 14-day judicial remand in graft case
A local court on Tuesday sent Punjab Civil Service officer Narinder Singh Dhaliwal, who was arrested by the state vigilance bureau for allegedly taking bribes, to 14-day judicial remand.
Ludhiana A local court on Tuesday sent Punjab Civil Service (PCS) officer Narinder Singh Dhaliwal, who was arrested by the state vigilance bureau for allegedly taking bribes, to 14-day judicial remand. The VB did not seek further remand of Dhaliwal.
Dhaliwal, who is the secretary Regional Transport Authority (RTA) in Ludhiana, was arrested by VB on graft charges on January 6. Earlier, Dhaliwal was sent to a three-day police remand in this case.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP, Vigilance bureau) Ravinderpal Singh Sandhu said the vigilance bureau interrogated Dhaliwal for three days which was enough to extract information. “We did not feel there was a need for his extended custody,” he said.
“Punjab Home Guard volunteer Bahadar Singh, who was attached with Dhaliwal, was also produced before the court, and his statements have been recorded in the court. Bahadur’s statement supports the allegations against Dhaliwal,” he added.
Dhaliwal, who was posted as regional transport authority in Ludhiana, was arrested on January 6 for allegedly taking bribes from transporters for sparing them from challans.
The bureau had said that during the investigation of a complaint lodged through the chief minister’s anti-corruption helpline on November 18, it was found that Dhaliwal was indulging in collecting bribes through some private persons from different transporters on a monthly basis in Ludhiana for not issuing challans of their vehicles. On Monday, PCS officers proceeded on a mass casual leave for five days in protest against the “illegal” arrest of Dhaliwal.
According to PCS Officers’ Association, Dhaliwal was arrested “illegally, wrongfully and arbitrarily and without due procedure”.
