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With Hand In The Cookie Jar
An
Investigation That Found Them All
There is little
reason why the Sikh Diaspora or non-resident Punjabis should be
interested in property details of senior Punjab politicians, Akali
Dal leaders, police officials or top bureaucrats. But once you know
how blatantly they have been acquired, the sheer shock will make the
entire saga look so incredulous.
Adjacent to
Chandigarh was an area where urban development was prohibited. Then,
with much stealth, the political elite with connections get the
land, get the government to allow change of nature of land use, then
sell their shares to a corporate, and then receive huge gifts from
the corporate.
But when Indian
courts got into the thick of the scandal and tasked top sleuths to
bring out the truth, there is no end to the skeletons that are
coming out tumbling.
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The roll call of
the profiteers
Other senior
leaders named in the list include Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Nirmal
Singh Kahlon; Deputy Speaker Satpal Gosain; former SGPC chief Bibi
Jagir Kaur; former MP Rattan Singh Ajnala; Avtar Henry; and MLAs
Inderjit Singh Zira; Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpura; Swaran Singh Phillaur;
Avtar Singh Brar; Janmeja Singh Sekhon; Gulzar Singh Ranike; Nand
Lal; Arunesh Kumar Shakar; Hardev Singh Arshi; Ramesh Chander Dogra;
Jora Singh Mann; Om Parkash Soni; Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa; Tara Singh
Ladal; Ranjit Singh Ballian; Raj Mohinder Singh Majithia; Jagjit
Singh; Jagdish Sawhney; Jagdish Singh Garcha; Satya Pal Saini;
Kunwar Jagjit Singh and Baldev Kumar Chawla.
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Now, it has
emerged that even Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal
and Union Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur were
among the 96 MLAs who earned at least Rs 75 lakh and entitlement to
a flat each by selling their shares in a housing society.
The status
report in an ongoing investigation by the Punjab and Haryana High
Court was prepared by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP)
Chander Shekhar who has explained how the Punjabi Co-operative
Housing Building Society — now the Punjabi Co-operative Society —
had purchased 21.2 acres of land in Kansal, adjoining Chandigarh, in
2003 for over Rs 8 crore. But the land was sold for over Rs 96.5
crore to the Tata Housing Development Company (THDC) and the profit
was shared among the members.
ADGP Chander
Shekhar, who has submitted a list of these 96 members, has termed
the sale of plots to THDC as a means to “earn profit”. Shekhar is
investigating the Naya Gaon land grab case.
Others who
figure in the list include Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal,
Industry Minister Manoranjan Kalia and Forest Minister Tishan Sud.
The name of Sukhbir Badal, however, has surfaced for the first time.
According to the
report, on a plot of 500 sq yards, which was purchased for about Rs
5 lakh, a member’s profit was Rs 77.5 lakh and a built-up flat of
2250 sq feet. In case of plots of 1000 sq yards, each member earned
over Rs 95 lakh with two flats of 2250 sq feet.
“It is pertinent
to mention that two installments have been made to members of the
society. The remaining amount is to be paid in two more
instalments,” the report, which runs into 42 pages, states.
The object of
constituting the society was to make flats/ residential plots
available for the members, but the society in violation of rules
sold the land to THDC.
On February 25,
2007, the Punjabi Co-operative Society had signed a joint
development agreement with M/s Harsh Builders Private Limited; IAS/
IPS Society, Sector 49-A, Chandigarh; and THDC Limited.
18
November 2009
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