Shimla: Sleuths of State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau on Thursday searched the residences of a BJP MLA in connection with a disproportionate assets case registered against him.
The searches were conducted in the residences of Rikhi Ram Kaundal, a former Deputy Speaker, in connection with the case registered on directions of court issued on a complaint filed by a local advocate.
The complainant had averred that there were discrepancies in the assets and the affidavit filed by Kaundal while filing the nomination papers for Assembly polls in October last year from Jundatta constituency.
However, there was no official word about any seizures and details of the raids from the Vigilance Bureau officials.
Kaundal, when contacted over phone, confirmed that a team of the Vigilance Bureau had reached Bilaspur and he was present during the search done by the officials, who were carrying orders of the court.
"I was on my way to Shimla when I received the call and I returned and cooperated with the team in the search operations," he said.
He declined to comment on the searches saying the matter was in court. He said, "I showed all the documents relating to my property and cash in hand, apart from other immovable assets including an old property".
The Vigilance team headed by DSP Taranjit Singh and consisting of around six officers searched both the new and the old houses and even beds, cupboards and suitcases, he said.
A list of all the searched articles was prepared and the entire search operation was video-graphed, sources in the Vigilance Bureau said.
PTI
