Former DGP Virk chargesheeted

Former Punjab Director General of Police S S Virk was today chargesheeted by the state government following his suspension a fortnight ago for buying benami property.

Sources said the government has charged Virk with buying benami property without informing the government in violation of the rules governing officers of the All India Services. It was stated that on November 5, 2005, Virk gave a cheque of Rs 50 lakh to one Chandigarh-based property dealer Vijay Pal Singh Dimpy. On November 7, 2005, Dimpy withdrew Rs 19 lakh from his account and registered four acres of land near Kharar, which he had bought from a war widow Mohinder Kaur, on his name. 8220;It was stated that the deal was struck for Rs 1.14 crore and to date, Rs 84 lakh has been paid. The letter states that Dimpy had divulged this information during his interrogation. He claimed that he was told by Virk that afterwards he would get this land registered in his Virk8217;s name,8221; a police official said. 8220;The state government hurriedly issued Virk the chargesheet today as he had sent a representation to Principal Secretary, Home, replying to all the allegations against him, and they didn8217;t want the case to fall flat,8221; a government official said.

Meanwhile, Virk today sought to revoke his suspension by filing an appeal before the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. He said that 8220;he has learnt from sources that the Punjab Government has specifically deputed a few officers to fabricate some cases in order to involve him in serious criminal and disciplinary proceedings so that he can be retained and harassed in Punjab8221;.