Asst Town Planner on Vigilance Bureau radar

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 14

Vigilance Bureau teams of Jalandhar are learnt to have brought an Assistant Town Planner under their scanner, which could have an indirect implication for Aam Aadmi Party Jalandhar Central MLA Raman Arora. Arora is already learnt to be feeling sidelined by the party ever since all 14 security personnel deployed with him had been taken back on Tuesday.

The teams are learnt to have started an inquiry into the working of ATP Sukhdev Vashisht and have been interrogating him at the Municipal Corporation office since this evening. Vashisht was the ATP in the Jalandhar Central area about a year back after which he was transferred to Pathankot. About two months back, he again returned to Jalandhar and had the charge for Jalandhar West, represented by AAP minister Mohinder Bhagat.

Vashisht is learnt to be probed for his connection with Arora and the action he could have taken through building branch in the new colonies and commercial complexes coming up in Jalandhar Central allegedly at the behest of the MLA.

Arora, however, has denied any role and connection with the ATP. “I have had no dealing with Vashisht. He worked independently. I never pressurised him for initiating any action. If there is any such complaint with the VB, it is completely farce and baseless. Had there been anything, it would have come out a year back”, he said.

The MLA is learnt to have been in Delhi today where he reportedly met some leaders of AAP. There are reports that a Jalandhar-based AAP leader, who is eyeing Jalandhar Central seat, had provided the senior leadership with some complaints against the MLA. Amid reports that Arora could jump the ship, he ruled out having been in contact with any senior BJP leader in the recent past.

Jalandhar