Land acquisition for waste dump: case moved to CBI
Thursday, 09/08/2012
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CHANDIGARH: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will look into the allegation that t he P unjab government favo ured some influential people in 2010 by paying a high price for their 247-kanal land in Bathinda in the name of creating a solid-waste dump.
The payment was made within a month. The Punjab and Haryana high court division bench comprising acting chief justice Jasbir Singh and justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa on Wednesday gave the CBI the directions for investigation based on a public-interest petition by the villagers of Mandi Khurd in Bathinda district.
The bench gave the deputy inspector general of the Chandigarh CBI branch, Mahesh Aggarwal, a month to complete the inquiry.
Meanwhile, status quo is to be maintained on the land.
Appearing for the petitioners, lawyer Ramandeep Singh Pandher submitted that in February 2010, the beneficiaries had purchased the l and jointly at Rampura Phul, 33 km from Bathinda, fo r Rs 1 . 59 crore; and after few days, the state government had decided to acquire it for about Rs7 crore.
Ludhiana's Khushdev Singh, his wife, Kamaljeet Kaur; and brother, Himmat Singh; Muktsar's Kanwar Pal Singh, his wife, Kirandeep Kaur; and one Balvinder Singh; Ludhiana's Yadvinder Singh, his wife, Jas deep; and relative Surjeet Kaur had together purchased 247 kanal and 6 marlas on t he Bathinda-mansa road at Rampura Phul.
It was submitted in the court that most beneficiaries were close to Akali leader Bikramjit Singh Majithia. Khushdev Singh is former municipal councillor of Khanna; and Yadvinder Singh, district president of the Ludhiana Youth Akali Dal, was aspirant for the 2012 assembly election from Khanna.
For the project, the government had acquired 294 kanal and 9 marlas vide a notification issued on April 16, 2010, of which, 247 kanal and 6 marlas belonged to the beneficiaries.
The allegation suggests there were also three suitable sites but the municipal corporation chose the land in question deliberately to favour the beneficiaries.
The petitioners have also submitted that the beneficiaries, being close to s e ni o r political leaders of the ruling party, were tipped that the government would acquire the land.
The next hearing is on September 12.
