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Govt probe finds
bigwigs in multi-crore land scam 2 km
from seat of power
WSN Network
CHANDIGARH: This is
a scam of gargantuan proportions, but few believe it will ever be
taken to its logical conclusion. A Punjab government probe into the
transfer of 23,069 kanal (2,870 acre) of gram panchayat land in
Karoran (Mohali) to bigwigs has established it was "illegally"
alienated.
The inquiry by
Financial Commissioner (Revenue) Romila Dubey, on the directions of
Chief Secretary Ramesh Inder Singh, has indicted several senior
officers.
They include Kamal
Nain Singh, then Financial Commissioner (Appeals); Surjit Singh
Dhillon, presently posted as Deputy Commissioner, Mansa; Jatinder
Singh, District Revenue Officer, Bathinda, and Sukhwinder Singh
Gill, SDM, Khanna.
In her
"confidential" report dated April 17 to the Director (Vigilance
Bureau), the FCR, as per a report in the Hindustan Times, has
requested for a decision on whether "the case is to be referred to
the CBI".
Holding that the
land transfer to individuals was done through illegal mutations,
Dubey observed: "It's beyond doubt that all the shareholders had
entered into a conspiracy, and in connivance with the gram panchayat,
succeeded in causing a huge loss to the Karoran panchayat."
The present market
value of 1 acre of land in Karoran is between Rs 1-1.5 crore.
The FCR conducted
the probe following a reference by the Vigilance to the Chief
Secretary in October 2007. Earlier, a DIG-level inquiry had found
gross irregularities in the transfer of Karoran panchayat land.
After receiving the
FCR report, the VB on Friday sent a report prepared by DIG (Economic
Offences Wing) Arun Oraon to the Chief Secretary, asking the
government to request the CBI to register a case and probe the
matter as it is already investigating a related case (Forest Hill)
pertaining to some portion of this land. Alternatively, it said, the
matter may be referred to the DGP.
18
June,
2008
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