E-Paper
Pre-arrest bail plea of Badal aide Kolianwali in DA case turned down
Vigilance bureau had registered case against Akali leader and close aid of former-CM Parkash Singh Badal on July 1.
A local court on Wednesday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of Akali leader and former member of the Punjab Subordinate Service Selection Board (PSSSB) Dyal Singh Kolianwali in the disproportionate assets case against him.
On July 1, the Punjab vigilance bureau had registered the case against Kolianwali — a close confidant of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal — for amassing wealth by allegedly misusing his official position during the 10-year rule of the Akali-BJP government between 2007 and 2017.
Kolianwali is also former chairman of the Punjab Agro Industries.
During investigation, the vigilance bureau found that Kolianwali misused his official position for transfer of employees with collusion of government officials and then allegedly collected money with the help of “illegal elements”.
The case has been registered under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act at the VB police station at Mohali. The VB chose the period between 2009 and 2014 for investigation during which Kolianwali was holding key posts, During this period, the accused had allegedly spent ₹4.10 crore on various moveable and immoveable properties, including other expenditures, which was more than 70% of his actual earning.
The VB found that Kolianwali amassed properties, hotels, agricultural farms in Rajasthan and Uttarakhand.
Kolianwali, a member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) from Lambi, the home constituency of Badal, came in contact with the former CM as a sarpanch of Kolianwali village.
Coming from a humble background, Kolianwali climbed the social and political ladder and became the trusted aide of the Badals. He was also in the race to become the SGPC president three years ago when the Akali dispensation wanted to remove Avtar Singh Makkar from the post. But Kirpal Singh Badungar was chosen over Kolianwali. He also remained an executive member and vice-president of the SGPC.
In April this year, after Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa took over as the Punjab cooperation minister, the department started proceedings to recover ₹91 lakh that Kolianwali owed to the Punjab Agricultural Development Bank, Malout. Initially, Kolianwali was reluctant to pay the loan, but when arrest warrants were issued against him, the pending amount was paid.
