ED files prosecution complaint against Varinder Pal Singh Dhoot in Rs 30 crore land fraud case, ET RealEstate
LUDHIANA: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has filed a Prosecution Complaint before the special judge, Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) SAS Nagar, Punjab on June 16 against Varinder Pal Singh Dhoot (ex naib-tehsildar) and 12 others under Section 44 of the PMLA Act, 2002 in a case related to misallocation and illicit sale of falsely allocated shares of Shamlat (panchayat) Land.
The special judge has taken cognizance of the said prosecution complaint on July 17th 2023 and summons have been issued to all the accused.
Notably ED initiated investigation in this case against Dhoot and others on the basis of FIR registered by Vigilance Bureau, Punjab under various sections of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act.
ED investigation has established that revenue officials including Varinder Pal Singh Dhoot and others, while preparing the Intkal, falsely allotted shares of Shamlat Land of village Seonk to the tune of 102 acres (having market value of around Rs 30 crore) in the name of some ineligible villagers.
Subsequently, power of attorneys were obtained by the private property dealers from these villagers and on the basis of these power of attorneys, the said private property dealers in connivance with revenue officials sold Shamlat Land to outside purchasers. 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 obtained.
The accused, Varinder Pal Singh Dhoot (Naib Tehsildar) was arrested by the ED on April 20th 2023 and has since been in judicial custody. Earlier, on June 1st the ED has provisionally attached residential properties of Varinder Pal Singh Dhoot in Chandigarh and Hoshiarpur valued at around Rs 8 crore.
