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Multi-crore foodgrain transportation scam: Vigilance bureau does a U-turn, gives Bhalla clean chit
Doing a U-turn, the vigilance bureau informed the court that nothing was found to establish Gagandeep Sunny Bhalla’s involvement in the case
A Ludhiana court on Saturday discharged Congress councillor Gagandeep Sunny Bhalla in the alleged ₹2,000 foodgrain transportation scam.
Doing a U-turn, the vigilance bureau informed the court that nothing was found to establish Bhalla’s involvement in the case.
Officials requested the court to discharge him from the case, which was accepted and he was released.
Earlier, the vigilance bureau had claimed that money earned by former Punjab food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu was invested through Bhalla in properties, which are to be probed.
Bhalla was arrested in this case on Wednesday and produced in the court the next day. The court had remanded him in vigilance bureau custody for questioning for two days.
Senior superintendent of police (vigilance bureau), Ludhiana range, Ravinder Pal Singh Sandhu said that no involvement of Bhalla was found in the case during investigation.
Bhalla is a loyalist of former Punjab minister Ashu, who is currently in the custody of Nawanshahr vigilance bureau on production warrant in another case of foodgrain transportation scam lodged by the vigilance bureau.
Total 17 accused were nominated in the case, while only four -- contractor Telu Ram, former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, arhtiya Krishan Kumar Dhotiwala and councillor Bhalla -- were arrested.
Congress member of parliament Ravneet Singh Bittu had alleged that the vigilance bureau and the Aam Aadmi Party government were targeting and harassing Congress leaders. Bhalla was being punished just because he is close to Ashu, he had claimed.
