JAMMU: The anti-corruption bureau (ACB) of J&K Police on Wednesday conducted searches at the properties of deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary’s brother Vijay Choudhary, a serving police inspector posted in Ladakh, in connection with an alleged disproportionate assets (DA) case.Calling the raids an attempt to intimidate his family and maligh him, the deputy CM said they would fight it legally.An official spokesperson said searches were conducted by ACB teams at multiple locations, which included Vijay’s residential premises at Santokh Vihar (Kaluchak) and Nonial (Nowshera) in Jammu’s Rajouri district, business premises at Tutte di Khui, Bajalta (Jammu) and other locations.The sleuths seized incriminating documents during the searches and further investigation was on, the spokesperson said.Sharing details, an ACB spokesperson said the documents revealed Vijay had amassed assets amounting to crores of rupees, which were found highly disproportionate to his known sources of income. He had allegedly acquired more than 10 properties, including houses, shops and plots of land, in the name of his family members, relatives and others.Prima facie, a case of criminal misconduct was found made out against Vijay Choudhary under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and accordingly an FIR was filed, the spokesperson said.The deputy CM called the raids “politically motivated” and driven by “revenge”. He told media persons his family had nothing to conceal and they would fight it legally. While asserting that his brother was innocent, he said Vijay should be punished if he was found wrong.
