Chandigarh February 13 – The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) apprehended a revenue Patwari and two farmers for unlawfully acquiring debt relief from the Punjab government, amounting to Rs 4,02,222, through the submission of false affidavits.

Investigation and Arrests Unveiled

An official spokesperson of the state VB revealed that the investigation focused on Balkar Singh, a Patwari from revenue halqua Hamirgarh, currently based at Tehsil office Bhwanigarh, Sangrur district, and residing in the new officer colony, Patiala.

Additional Arrests and Pending Apprehension

In addition, law enforcement officials also arrested two private individuals from village Hamirgarh, namely Ram Singh and Surinder Singh. Moreover, a third accused farmer, Hardev Singh of Hamirgarh, is slated for imminent apprehension.

Ineligible Beneficiaries and Misleading Affidavits

The investigation exposed that all accused farmers own agricultural land exceeding 5 acres each, rendering them ineligible for the debt relief benefits. In collaboration with the Patwari, they submitted deceptive affidavits to the agricultural department to gain unlawful advantages.

Loss to State Exchequer and Legal Actions

The probe further revealed that the Patwari inaccurately reported the farmers’ land holdings on the portal, leading to their improper access to debt relief. Ram Singh received relief amounting to Rs 1,28,249, Surinder Singh obtained Rs 96,258, and Hardev Singh availed Rs 1,77,716, collectively causing a loss of Rs 4,02,222 to the state exchequer.

Legal Consequences

The VB police station Patiala range initiated legal action against all implicated parties, with ongoing investigations underway.