Chandigarh: The Vigilance Bureau has intensified the investigation against former Punjab Deputy CM and Congress leader Om Prakash Soni. On Monday, a team of vigilance department from Chandigarh has reached Amritsar for investigation. While the team examined the papers of OP Soni’s property, assessment of his wealth has also been done.
According to the information received, the teams arrived from Chandigarh on Monday directly reached the hotel and farm house of the former Deputy CM. SSP Vigilance Varinder Singh said that the team has arrived from Chandigarh in connection with the inquiry going on in disproportionate assets case.
SSP Varinder Singh said that today the teams have reached his farmhouse and hotel as well as a warehouse. The investigation is still going on.
At the same time, OP Soni has submitted his bank and property documents, which are being investigated.
The notice was served by the Vigilance Bureau at the former deputy CM’s house in December 2022. In it, they were asked to present income related information and details. It talked about examining the income from 2017 to 2022. During this, he was also asked for details of his property.
Property grows 18 times in 15 years
As per the affidavit submitted by Soni before the 2022 elections, his movable and immovable assets have increased 18 times in the 15 years from 2007 to 2022. Om Prakash Soni had declared assets worth Rs 1 crore in an affidavit in 2007.
In 2017, his movable assets were shown to be Rs 48.56 lakh and his wife’s movable assets worth Rs 56.09 lakh. At the same time, his movable assets have reached Rs 72.50 lakh and his wife’s movable assets have reached Rs 1.02 crore this year.
In 2017, Soni had immovable assets worth Rs 11.74 crore and his wife Rs 5.50 crore. This year, his immovable assets are worth Rs 16.98 crore, which is ancestral and Rs 6 crore in his wife’s movable assets. The wife also owns his ancestral property, valued at Rs 2 crore.