2 ex-Army men among 3 nabbed for impersonating as VB officials

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 30

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) arrested three persons, including two ex-Army personnel, who impersonated as VB officials and took cheques for Rs 25 lakh from a resident of Bhaini Salu village in the district.

The suspects have been identified as Manjeet Singh, a resident of Bhaini Salu village, Paramjeet Singh of Mehlon village (Ludhiana) and Parminder Singh of Akash Colony, Hoshiarpur. Manjeet and Parminder are ex-army personnel. The latter is the in-charge of the World Human Rights Corporation of Punjab, according to the Vigilance Bureau.

An official spokesperson for the VB said Palwinder Singh, a resident of Bhaini Salu, lodged a complaint that he had sold 18 acres of his ancestral land a few months ago. Thereafter, he received a government notice regarding selling of a panchayat land, following which, three unidentified persons came to his house on August 12 and introduced themselves as officials from the Vigilance Department at Sector 17 in Chandigarh.

The complainant alleged that they demanded Rs 50 lakh from him to sort out the matter of selling the panchayat land as they cited that an inquiry was pending at the Chandigarh office and a case would be registered against him in this regard. In fear, the complainant agreed to pay Rs 25 lakh and the suspects convinced him to sign two cheques — Rs 15 lakh and 10 lakh — with a guarantee to return them when they receive Rs 25 lakh in cash. One of the suspects also took Rs 27,000 from his pocket and went away after getting his phone number.

Thereafter, the complainant has been receiving threat calls on WhatsApp for registration of a criminal case against him in case he fails to give the promised Rs 25 lakh in cash.

The VB spokesperson said following the complaint, an FIR under Sections 7, 7-A of Prevention of Corruption Act and 384,120-B of the IPC had been registered against Manjeet Singh of Bhaini Salu village and three unidentified persons at the VB police station, Ludhiana Range. Manjeet and Paramjeet of Mehlon village were arrested on Monday, and now, they both were on police remand till August 31. Parminder, a resident of Akash Colony, Hoshiarpur, was also arrested on Tuesday. The VB has also nominated four more persons in the case and a search had been launched to arrest the others suspects.

Notably, Manjeet and Paramjeet had made a recce of the house of the complainant and Parminder was one of the three suspects who went to the house of the complainant on August 12, according to the VB spokesperson.

Two of suspects did recce of house

Suspects Manjeet Singh and Paramjeet Singh had did a recce of the house of the complainant and Parminder was one of the three suspects who went to the house of the complainant on August 12, according to the VB spokesperson.

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