Punjab news: Vigilance Bureau arrests former Dy CM OP Soni in disproportionate assets case amid ongoing anti-corruption campaign

Punjab news: The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested former deputy chief minister OP Soni for allegedly accumulating assets to his known sources of income disproportionately. This took place between 2016 and 2022. In this case, he is expected to be presented before the Amritsar court tomorrow. The incident comes amid the ongoing anti-corruption campaign launched by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. 

FIR against OP Soni 

An official spokesperson for VB said that a case has been filed Under Sections 13 (1) (b) and 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act at Police Station VB, Amritsar Range, against OP Soni. An investigation into the case was ordered on October 10, 2022. 

During the investigation, the officials found that between April 1, 2016, and March 31, 2022, the income of the deputy CM and his family amounted to Rs 4.52 crore. However, their expenditure was admitted at Rs 12.48 crore. The amount exceeded their known source of income by a significant amount. 

The report further added that the former Dy CM allegedly acquired properties in the names of his wife, Suman Soni, and son, Raghav Soni. 

About OP Soni

OP Soni served as the 4th Deputy chief minister of Punjab from September 20, 2021, to March 11, 2022, under the tenure of former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. He forayed into politics in 1997 and scored a set in the Punjab Legislative Assembly Representing Amritsar West. He was re-elected in 2002 and 2007.

He tendered his resignation in 2016 as part of a protest against the Supreme Court’s ruling stating Punjab’s termination of the Sutleh-Yamuna Link (SYL) was unconstitutional. His decision inspired 41 other Congress leaders who followed the same path post the apex court's ruling.

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