Total attachments go up to Rs 1 crore
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 16: Stepping up drive against the corrupt Government officers, the State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) today attached a residential-cum-shopping complex and five bank accounts having Rs 30 lakh cash of a suspended Tehsil Supply Officer (TSO) of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Department, Sujan Singh in Kishtwar.
The attached complex was valued at Rs 30.5 lakh. The assets of the officer attached today totaled Rs 60 lakh. As the Vigilance Organisation has already attached one bungalow of the officer at Subash Nagar here worth Rs 40 lakh, the total attachment of property of the officer has gone up to Rs 1 crore, official sources said.
Sujan Singh was posted as TSO in CAPD Department in Kishtwar when the SVO had registered a case against him for possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
After getting the sanction of Commissioner, Vigilance Organisation, a team of the SVO headed by the SSP today attached five bank accounts of Sujan Singh—two in Kishtwar and three in Paddar. Of two bank accounts in Kishtwar, one each was in Jammu and Kashmir Bank Limited (JKBL) and Jammu Central Cooperative Bank (JCCB) while all three accounts of the official at Paddar were in the J&K Bank.
The Paddar accounts of the official had bank balance to the tune of Rs 17,13,647; Rs 11,09,642 and Rs 25,068 while Kishtwar accounts had Rs 14,214 and Rs 31,690. Total cash was worked out around Rs 30 lakh.
All accounts have been frozen and attached, sources said, adding the Vigilance Organisation has asked the Bank authorities to attach the accounts with the Government.
A residential-cum-shopping complex of Sujan Singh at Atholi in Kishtwar district, constructed in one kanal and five and a half marlas of land has also been attached. The shopkeepers, who had taken the shops on rent in the commercial complex, have been asked to deposit rent in a particular bank account, which the officer wouldn’t be able to draw.
The values of shopping-cum-residential complex has been assessed at Rs 30.5 lakh, sources said, adding that the property of Sujan Singh, which was attached today, had a value of Rs 60 lakh.
“As Rs 40 lakh worth bungalow of the officer had already been attached at Subash Nagar, Jammu, total value of the attached property, has gone up to Rs 1 crore’’, sources said.
Sujan Singh has not been arrested but was being called for questioning to explain the points pertaining to his property.
According to sources, the Vigilance Organisation had taken a detailed view of the property possessed by Sujan Singh and total salary drawn by him during his service. His bungalow at Subash Nagar, residential-cum-shopping complex at Atholi and five bank accounts having about Rs 30 lakh cash were found disproportionate to his known sources of income. Therefore, they were attached under the provisions of amended Prevention of Corruption Act.
Under the Act, the Vigilance action on attachment of property had to be confirmed by the General Administration Department (GAD) within 21 days on a detailed report to be filed by the SSP Vigilance, who had attached the property.
The attached property would become property of the Government. However, the accused had a right to challenge the Vigilance order.
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