Punjab Minister's PA booked for graft charge

An FIR in this regard has been registered against the Personal Assitant Sarbdayal Singh but no one has been arrested.

Ranike was not available for comments despite repeated efforts.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Sandip Rishi, when contacted, said today that the alleged embezzlement of government funds of Rs 1.15 crore came to light after a thorough probe by the District Development Project Officer (DDPO) Gurpartap Singh Nagra.

Rishi said that on the basis of a complaint, the matter was thoroughly inquired into and it was found that the PA of the cabinet minister allegedly opened a number of dummy bank accounts in the name of dummy sarpanches (village headmen) and later the amount to the tune of Rs 1.15 crore was encashed by the PA.

He said Rs 1.15 crore was sent to Attari constituency for the development of the border constituency and the PA opened allegedly fake accounts in different banks with fake documents in fake names wherein the government grant was deposited and withdrawn by the PA and a fake report was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar that the money had been spent in various development projects.

Rishi claimed the probe brought out that not even a single penny was spent for development purpose and Rs 1.15 crore went to Sarabdyala Singh.

He said this may be the tip of ice berg and Deputy Commissioner Amritsar Rajat Aggarwal has set up a 3-member committee to probe all government grants spent by the cabinet minister and his PA in the last one year in Attari border constituency.