Chandigarh: Accused in high-profile cases filed in Panchkula, Ambala dodge police

In another case, former DRO Naresh Sheokand, who is the prime accused in the alleged multi-crore shaamlat land scam, continues to be on the run. While the vigilance department managed to arrest his co-accused Bhim Singh, senior bank manager of Punjab National Bank, search continues for Sheokand. Both were booked for alleged massive misappropriation of government funds on July 22 by the state vigilance department.

“We have arrested Bhim Singh, and the search operation is on to trace Sheokand. We will soon move court to secure third arrest warrant against him,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police (Vigilance) Suresh Kumar.

Investigating officials say that it is largely the government officials or public servants who are chargesheeted in various cases and are still on the run.

As many as nine government officials from the Ambala Forest Department were booked by the vigilance department for allegedly misappropriating Rs 4.99 crore in the MNREGA scam in January, out of whom four were suspended by the government. However, none of them has been arrested.

When contacted, Dr B K Sinha, ADG, State Vigilance Bureau (Ambala range), said, “We opposed their anticipatory bail plea and got it cancelled, and launched a search operation. But these people are well-versed in how to evade law. We have now decided to move court on November 9 for attachment of their property to build pressure on them. We have also stepped up the hourly chase.”

Highlighting that it is largely the accused government officials who are on the run in several cases, Dr Sinha maintains the investigating agencies do not build pressure in the beginning. “The problem in such cases is that the investigating agencies need to build pressure from the beginning, which does not happen, and the accused tend to take the police for a ride. Since they are well-educated people, they know several ways to evade the law. Nonetheless, we are also more vigilant, and will arrest them,” said Dr Sinha.

Recently, former ACP Deshbandhu was booked for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 40 lakh from an Ambala resident to drop rape charges against him. While his anticipatory bail plea was dismissed by the court, he is still absconding. “He joined the investigation, but did not co-operate, so we opposed his anticipatory bail plea. We will move court for securing his arrest warrant, and will arrest him very soon,” said ACP Dalip Kumar, who heads the Special Investigation Team to probe the case.