In the Sidhwan Bet Rs. 65 lakh streetlights fraud case, the Vigilance Bureau, Ludhiana, on Tuesday arrested senior Congress leader and OSD to the former chief minister of Punjab, Capt. Amarinder Singh, Capt. Sandeep Sandhu.According to Vigilance, Sandhu influenced the purchase of streetlights at a price that was more than double the going rate, and he allegedly collected several lakhs in compensation.
Following the filing of a case, Vigilance has begun searching for Sandhu in order to detain him in connection with the matter.A Vigilance official with knowledge of the development confirmed to The Tribune on Tuesday that information about Sandhu’s nomination in the streetlights fraud case had also been provided to a Ludhiana court.
Vigilance officers asserted that the investigation also suggested that the streetlights purchased were of poor quality and that even fewer lights were installed than what was indicated in the records.
In this regard, vigilance has already begun physical verification of 26 communities.
Satwinder Singh Kang, the BDPO of the Sidhwan Bet block in the Ludhiana district, and Lakhwinder Singh, the chairman of the Block Samiti Sidhwan Bet, were detained by the Vigilance Bureau on September 27 for allegedly misappropriating government funds totaling Rs 65 lakh for the purchase of streetlights at a price that was twice as high as the approved rate and were intended to be installed in 26 villages.One Teja Singh VDO (Village Development Officer) Sidhwan Bet was also detained a few days later.
The Vigilance detained Sandeep Sandhu’s relative Harpreet Singh for his involvement in the streetlights scam even two days after the FIR was filed.The Ludhiana court today denied Nabha Gaurav Sharma’s anticipatory bail application. Sharma is the owner of M/s Amar Electrical Enterprises and a street light contractor who was also named in the case.
