Vigilance Bureau arrests Arora’s key aide Makhija in graft case

Continuing with its investigation into the corruption case lodged against Jalandhar Central MLA Raman Arora, the Vigilance Bureau today arrested Mahesh Makhija, one of the close aides of Arora. Yesterday, it had arrested Municipal Corporation Inspector Harpreet Kaur in this connection. Makhija works as an arhtiya in the main vegetable market of Jalandhar and resides at Charanjitpura. He had been named in the case two days ago, but had been on the run since Arora’s arrest on May 23. There have been allegations that Arora had purchased some properties from the ill-gotten money and had got these registered in the name of Makhija. It has also been alleged that Arora had got some bags moved from his place days ahead of his arrest, which he had been expecting since his security had been withdrawn on May 14. It is learnt that one of these bags having documents related to ‘benami’ properties purchased by Arora had been shifted to Makhija’s place. The VB had been checking CCTV footages available from outside the houses of Arora, Makhija and others. Meanwhile on Thursday, MC Building Inspector Harpreet Kaur was also arrested by the VB. She was produced in a local court today after which the VB got her remand for two days. There had been complaints against her of having received lakhs of rupees in the racket allegedly being run in the city by Jalandhar Central MLA Raman Arora and Assistant Town Planner Sukhdev Vashisht. The VB officials got conducted her medical examination late last evening from the Civil Hospital after formally arresting her. Arora too is in remand with the VB till Monday. Arora’s son Rajan Arora and his daughter’s father-in-law Raju Madaan too have been booked in the case, but they are absconding since Arora’s arrest on May 23. The allegation against all six accused is that they used fake MC notices to pressurise owners of under-construction buildings to pay them money to cover up the cases of violations of building norms. The money thus collected was reportedly used later to invest in purchase of properties.

Jalandhar