The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Monday achieved success to initiate criminal proceedings against the prime accused in infamous tender allotment scam in the grain markets namely Rakesh Kumar Singla, deputy director, food and civil supplies department as he has been declared Proclaimed Offender (PO) by the Court of Sh Sumit Makkar, CJM Ludhiana.
Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the state VB said that the above mentioned accused was appointed as chairman, chief vigilance committee of the department and given additional charge of inspection of wooden crates and labour & transportation policy by the former food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu.
He further added that that during the investigations of different accused of this case it has come to light that Rakesh Singla had demanded Rs 30 lakh a bribe and obtained Rs 20 lakh from accused contractor/tenderrer Telu Ram who in turn had got allotment of labour and transportation tenders for different grain markets.
The spokesperson informed that after the court orders the VB would initiate process to issue Red Corner Notice (RCN) against him to effectuate his arrest as he has gone abroad to evade his arrest. The VB has got valuable information regarding his ill gotten wealth made out of huge bribes as a technical team of the VB had also made assessment of his properties.
He further added that In this regard a case under FIR No. 11 dated 16-08-2022, under section 420, 409, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of IPC and 7, 8, 12, 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against contractor Telu Ram, Jagroop Singh, Sandeep Bhatia and owner/ partners of Gurdas Ram & company as well as officers/officials of food and civil supplies department besides respective officials/employees of the concerned procurement agencies.
He further informed that In this case out of 17 accused, 6 has been arrested and in the jail. Efforts were being made to arrest the remaining accused in this case, he added.