Gurdwara panel summons five SGPC members, 5 employees
AMRITSAR The Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission has summoned five Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) members and as many employees on August 19 in connection with the scam related to the purchase of land for Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib gurdwara at Anandpur Sahib in Rupnagar district.
Besides summoning Sukhwinder Singh, former manager of the shrine, and three other SGPC employees — Harjinder Singh Bhatti, Ram Singh and Major Singh Patwari, the court has also restrained them from working till the decision is pending in the case. The fifth employee, Karamjit Singh, has just been summoned by the panel. The SGPC members who have been summoned are Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, Raghujit Singh Virk, Kewal Singh Badal, Rajinder Singh Mehta and Nirmal Singh Jallankalan.
THE SCAM
The commission’s order comes in response to a petition filed by Baldev Singh Sirsa, a Sikh activist of Amritsar district.
In the petition filed through advocate MS Randhawa, it was alleged that these SGPC employees along with their relatives purchased 3,938 sq ft land, with a covered area of 2,503 sq ft at a cost of ₹70 lakh in 2013.
After one year, the land was allegedly sold to Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib gurdwara at ₹2.7 crore, causing a huge loss to the shrine. However, the market price of the land was not more than ₹50 lakh, claims the petition.
PROBE PANEL
In its order, the commission also directed SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar to set up a probe panel to look into the matter and submit its report within two months in a sealed envelope.
The panel also warned that if the SGPC fails to meet the deadline, it would write to Rupnagar SSP to register an FIR against the accused.