ED attaches Punjab’s former Naib Tehsildar and travel agent’s properties in money laundering cases
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ June 4,2023
In two different cases, Directorate of Enforcement (ED), has provisionally attached properties worth Rs. 8 Crore of Varinder Pal Singh Dhoot, the then Naib Tehsildar and attached properties worth Rs. 58 lakh of Nitish Ghai, a Ludhiana based travel agent in a money laundering cases.
Varinder Pal Singh Dhoot, the then Naib Tehsildar was involved in a revenue related case, for misallocating shares of shamlat (panchayat) land of village Seonk, SAS Nagar, Punjab to the tune of more than 99 acres in the name of ineligible villagers and in some instances, even outsiders. ED initiated investigation on the basis of FIR registered by Vigilance Bureau, Punjab under various sections of Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act. Chargesheet was filed by the Vigilance Bureau in the said FIR against the accused Varinder Pal Singh Dhoot and others confirming the allegations. Investigation has revealed that revenue officials viz. Varinder Pal Singh Dhoot and others, while preparing the Intkal, have falsely allotted shares of panchayat land of village seonk in the name of 6 villagers. Subsequently power of attorneys were obtained by the private property dealers from these villagers and on the basis of these power of attorneys, these private property dealers in connivance with revenue officials sold panchayat land to non-eligible villagers and some outsiders. The sale consideration was shared by the private property dealers and revenue officials among themselves giving small amount to the villagers as well from whom the power of attorneys were taken. During the investigation, bank accounts maintained by Varinder Pal Singh Dhoot in his and his family members name were scrutinized and unexplained credits to the tune of more than Rs 15 Crore were found including cash credits of around Rs 8 Crore during the relevant period. Further, during the investigation, it was revealed that Varinder Pal Singh Dhoot has received funds in his relatives’ Bank Accounts from the friends and relatives of the final purchaser and/or beneficial owners of the panchayat land. Further, most of the sale consideration of panchayat land was transacted in cash. Earlier, Varinder Pal Singh Dhoot was arrested by ED on 20.04.2023. Presently he is in Judicial Custody.
In Nitish Ghai, a Ludhiana based travel agent, ED initiated investigation on the basis of multiple FIRs registered by Punjab Police at different Police Stations of Ludhiana District against Nitish Ghai & others for cheating general public by offering them false allurement of providing Work Permit Visas of foreign countries, which were never materialised by the accused persons nor the payments made by the victims were returned to them. On verification of FIRs lodged by police authorities, it was found that 35 FIRs are presently live i.e. under trial or under investigation, based on which proceeds of crime were ascertained. During the course of investigation, bank accounts of Nitish Ghai were scrutinized which revealed that, Nitish Ghai used to take cash from the gullible public in guise of providing them work permit in foreign countries. Subsequently, this cash was deposited in bank accounts maintained by him his family members and various consultancy firms being operated by him. These cash deposits were then used to acquire immovable properties in his and his family member’s name.
ED attaches Punjab’s former Naib Tehsildar and travel agent’s properties in money laundering cases. Further investigation is ongoing in both cases.
