Chandigarh, June 25: The Haryana State Vigilance Bureau has arrested former state minister Vinod Maria from his house at Panchkula for allegedly amassing property more than half a crore, disproportionate to his known sources of income. An official release said here today that a case was registered against Maria under various sections of prevention of corruption act yesterday at Ambala on the basis of an enquiry conducted by the bureau.

Maria was minister from January 15, 1997 to December 14, 1999 in the Bansi Lal's HVP government and during this period he allegedly purchased 2.75 acres of land in village Sunderpur Dhani near Barwala in Panchkula district in the name of his son Vishal and close relative Krishan Gopal, who were made proprietor for M/S Venus Poultry Farm, it said. Maria was reported to have shown the investment in the name of his wife and son Vishal "but both of them are reported to be dependent on him and they had no source of independent income", it said.

The money invested in the poultry farm had neither been accounted for nor reported in his tax returns, it added.

The investigation of the case was in progress and details of remaining properties would also be looked into, it added. Bureau Report