Punjab Vigilance Bureau apprehends excise officer Virdi's accomplice in disproportionate assets case

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], November 29 (ANI): The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) arrested Bhagwant Bhushan alias Bawa, in connection to the case of disproportionate assets registered against Balbir Kumar Virdi, Joint Director (GST), Excise Department Jalandhar, an official statement said.
According to the statement, the case had been filed against Virdi, for amassing assets beyond his known sources of income while serving as a government official.
A spokesperson of the Vigilance Bureau said that an investigation has revealed that during the check period from April 1, 2007, to September 11, 2020, Balbir Kumar Virdi declared an income of Rs 2,08,84,863.37, but astonishingly he spent Rs 5,12,51,688.37 during the same period.
"This discrepancy shows an excess expenditure of Rs 3,03,66,825, a startling 145.40 per cent more than his actual income. Consequently, the VB has registered a corruption case against him for misusing his position and accumulating assets significantly surpassing his lawful income, under sections 13(1)(b) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, at VB Range Jalandhar," he added.
Furthermore, the investigation uncovered Bhagwant Bhushan's role as a special partner in establishing 'The Jagdambey Lifestyle' firm in Ludhiana, along with 'Clean and Cool,' firm Ludhiana owned by his wife, Kavita, and Balbir Kumar Virdi's spouse, Surinder Kaur.
Bhagwant Bhushan has been nominated in the process of laundering the alleged black money amounting to crores on behalf of Balbir Kumar Virdi through these bogus firms.
He further informed that the records indicate that Bhagwant Bhushan made a payment of Rs 10,00,000 for a lift installed at Kothi No. 213, Guru Gobind Singh Nagar, Jalandhar, belonging to Balbir Kumar Virdi, using funds from his Jagdambey Lifestyle Ludhiana in the account of Schindler India Pvt.
Similarly, a payment of Rs 3,18,600 for a generator installed at Virdi's residence, was transacted by Bhagwant Bhushan's Jagdambey Lifestyle Company in the account of Sudhir Power Limited, Ludhiana. He informed that in light of his involvement, Bhagwant Bhushan was apprehended today and has been named in the aforementioned case.
The spokesperson further stated that the VB is conducting intensive raids at residences and other hideouts to apprehend Balbir Kumar Virdi, who will be taken into custody soon.
Giving more information, the spokesperson informed that the said Balvir Kumar Virdi and other officers and employees of the Excise Department in collusion with some transporters and industry owners, have misappropriated a scam in GST collection and a case was registered under sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B and sections 7, 7-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act on August 21 in 2020 at VB police station, Flying Squad-1, SAS Nagar.
The accused Balbir Kumar Birdi had joined the probe with the Bureau under the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. (ANI)