In a significant corruption crackdown, the Vigilance Bureau arrested Surinder Dhillon, the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) of Muktsar, on Saturday for his involvement in misappropriating funds allocated for the compensation of land acquired for the Amritsar-Kolkata Corridor project in Patiala district.
Dhillon, who was previously posted as the District Development and Panchayat Officer , has been charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The charges stem from his failure to perform his duties properly and his involvement in the embezzlement of Rs285 crore intended for compensating farmers for their land in villages such as Akkri, Sehra, Sehri, Takhtumajra, and Pabra in the Shambhu Block of Patiala.
According to the Vigilance Bureau spokesperson, an investigation revealed serious discrepancies in the allocation and use of the funds. It was found that 30% of the funds meant to be deposited into the Secretary Wages Account of the DDPO office were never properly handled. Furthermore, Dhillon overspent significantly on paper for development projects, with approximately Rs65 crore listed as spent, although much of the work either did not exist or was completed to substandard specifications.
Under the rules, only 10% of the funds was supposed to be used for the development of the five villages, but Dhillon’s actions suggest gross mismanagement and embezzlement of public funds.
This arrest follows earlier actions where some sarpanches and members of the panchayats in the affected villages were also arrested for their role in the scam. Additionally, former MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur, his son, and several associates have been detained in connection with the fraudulent activities.
