VB arrests ex-Faridkot MLA Dhillon in DA case
FARIDKOT : Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Tuesday arrested former Congress MLA from Faridkot Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon alias Kiki Dhillon for amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
VB also arrested two aides of Dhillon-- Gursewak Singh of Faridkot and Rajwinder Singh of Ferozepur -- in the case. Rajwinder is a dog breeder, while some of the Dhillon’s properties under the scanner are in the name of Gursewak.
A spokesperson of VB said that a Dhillon and his two aides were arrested after registering a corruption case against them after conducting an inquiry into disproportionate assets. “A perimeter was set in which VB probed the details of moveable and non-movable properties of Dhillon between April 2017 and March 2022. During the investigation, it was found that Dhillon amassed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. He had purchased land in the name of other people in village Mumara of Faridkot district,” the official said.
VB official further said investigations have revealed that Dhillon had incurred 245% more expenditure than his known sources of income. Further investigation is under process, and three accused will be presented in court soon, the spokesperson added.
A case under Sections 13(1) (b), 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered at VB range police station, Ferozepur. A complaint was filed against Dhillon in which it was alleged that he had ‘amassed properties’ beyond the known sources of income when he was the Faridkot MLA during the Congress regime in the state.
Dhillon was questioned by the vigilance bureau officials on four occasions in the past two months. On Tuesday, he appeared at the office of SSP (vigilance) Ferozepur range after being summoned for the fifth time for questioning. He was formally arrested by the VB team at Ferozepur.
Dhillon was initially questioned three times by the deputy superintendent of police (DSP Vigilance) at Faridkot in this case. Last month, he was questioned by the senior superintendent of police (SSP Vigilance), Ferozepur Gurmeet Singh. The VB officials had questioned him regarding his properties and income sources.
After questioning, Ferozepur SSP (VB) forwarded the inquiry report to the VB headquarters with the recommendation of registering an FIR against Dhillon in the case.
As per official sources, Dhillon had purchased around 70 acres of land in Mumara village of Faridkot district in the past five years. “These 70 acres were purchased in the name of Gursewak. Some properties are directly owned by his family but some properties are purchased through his aides,” sources added.
DHILLON WAS INITIALLY QUESTIONED THREE TIMES BY DSP VIGILANCE AT FARIDKOT IN THIS CASE