Ex-naib tehsildar booked for land fraud

PATIALA: There is more trouble for Gurinder Singh Walia, former naib tehsildar (NT) of Patiala. After being indicted by former Patiala divisional commissioner in a Rs 200-crore land scam, Patiala vigilance bureau (VB) booked him in another land fraud case on Sunday.
The VB team swooped down on Walia's house after registration of a fraud case and seized some documents pertaining to sale deeds.
Sources said some months back, the Punjab government had ordered a probe into a sale deed of 2 kanals 3 marlas land on Sirhind road near Patiala, which was registered on February 29, 2012 by Walia. Nabha SDM probed the sale deed and a few days back, he submitted his report to Patiala deputy commissioner, who sent it to the Punjab government.
Acting on the report, the Punjab government forwarded it to Punjab VB for registration of a fraud case.
"During investigations it has come to light that the land is commercial. However, Walia along with some other officers registered it as an agriculture land and caused a loss of Rs 34 lakh to the state exchequer. We have registered a case against Walia and two others and are conducting raids to arrest him," said DSP VB K D Sharma.
When TOI visited Walia's home, some neighbours said that he has not been staying in his house since he was indicted by the DC.
"He has been trying to procure anticipatory bail in a fraud case. We have formed special teams to arrest him," said DSP.