Just hours after real estate developer Ranjit Singh Gill officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), officials from the Punjab Vigilance Bureau carried out searches at his residence in Chandigarh on Saturday. Gill is the owner of the prominent Gillco Group.
Commenting on the development, Gill’s legal advisor, LK Verma, called the raid unwarranted and politically motivated. “This is nothing new. The Aam Aadmi Party government has used similar tactics against other leaders in the past,” Verma told ANI. He cited previous instances involving BJP figures like Tajinder Bagga, alleging a pattern of political harassment. “It’s the AAP government’s strategy to put pressure on influential individuals so they remain aligned with their agenda,” he added.
Verma also noted the timing of the raid, emphasizing that it took place the day after Gill’s induction into the BJP. He stated that they are prepared to take all necessary legal action in response.
Separately, the Vigilance Bureau continues its anti-corruption efforts in the state. On July 23, the agency arrested Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Jagtar Singh from Sangrur district while he was allegedly accepting a ₹12,000 bribe. Singh, posted at Police Station Sadar in Sangrur, was caught red-handed by a VB team from Patiala following a complaint by a local resident.
According to the complainant, although he had already secured bail through the high court, the ASI demanded ₹15,000 to officially join the investigation. Additionally, the officer allegedly asked for ₹20,000 more to return personal equipment seized during a prior search.
The Vigilance Bureau verified the allegations and conducted a sting operation, during which Singh was apprehended while receiving the bribe, with two official witnesses present. A case has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act at the bureau’s Patiala range office, and further inquiry is ongoing.
