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Disproportionate assets case: VB starts fresh probe against ex-Zirakpur naib tehsildar
The re-investigation directions were given by chief director vigilance BK Uppal after new facts emerged in the corruption case against Varinderpal Singh Dhoot
The vigilance bureau (VB) has launched a fresh probe against former Zirakpur naib tehsildar Varinderpal Singh Dhoot into the allegations of disproportionate assets against him.
The re-investigation directions were given by chief director vigilance BK Uppal after new facts emerged in the corruption case against Dhoot.
In November last year, HT had reported that Dhoot faced another case of disproportionate assets which was pending with vigilance headquarters, after the Jalandhar VB “watered down” the investigation and recommended departmental action.
Confirming the development, Jalandhar VB senior superintendent of police Daljinder Singh Dhillon said Dhoot is being reinvestigated over disproportionate assets charges as per the directions of vigilance headquarters.
On November 2, 2019, Punjab vigilance bureau had arrested Dhoot and four others in a corruption case. The corruption case goes back to 2017, when Dhoot was Majri naib tehsildar. He, in connivance with subordinate revenue officials and private individuals, is accused of fraudulently selling 99 acres of shamlat land in Seonk village, causing loss of crores of rupees to the exchequer, vigilance had claimed.
A senior vigilance official seeking anonymity said many suspicious cash transactions amounting to the crores of rupees were detected in the bank accounts allegedly linked to Dhoot or close aides, including his family members, during the probe of the corruption case.
The official added that several transactions among builders, developers and Dhoot besides other vital facts also came to light regarding his alleged investments in two prime marriage palaces in Hoshiarpur district. The vigilance is also probing the source of funds for his house in Sector 8, Chandigarh.
In 2017, Punjab vigilance bureau had started a probe into Dhoot’s alleged disproportionate assets. The department had accused him of buying prime properties, some in the name of his family members, spending crores of rupees on a palatial house and buying 25-acre land in Hoshiarpur district.
In December 2017, a Jalandhar vigilance inquiry had revealed that Dhoot had amassed immovable and movable property, which was beyond his known sources of income, through corrupt or illegal methods. Vigilance had claimed Dhoot spent around ₹50 lakh more than his income between 2009 and 2015, with the total expenditure detected at ₹2.45 crore. Following this, the Jalandhar vigilance recommended an FIR against Dhoot to Mohali headquarters, after legal opinion.
In October 2019, nearly two years after this recommendation, Dhoot filed a representation before vigilance headquarters seeking a re-probe into the disproportionate asset case of 2017. This was allowed, and the Jalandhar vigilance again prepared an expenditure report of Dhoot from 2009 to 2015 and calculated it at ₹2.25 crore. This was ₹18.6 lakh more than his income and fell within the government mandated guideline of less than 10%. Following this, the Jalandhar vigilance wrote to the state revenue department for departmental action.
The vigilance sources said since then the matter was pending with the vigilance headquarters which has now ordered to conduct a fresh probe in the light of new facts.
