₹29L dump scam: Sangrur NC chief dodging VB probe
SANGRUR : Sangrur nagar council president Ripudaman Singh Dhillon, booked for cheating in an alleged ₹29.5 lakh garbage dump scam, failed to appear before the state vigilance bureau on Monday.
The Shiromani Akali Dal backs the nagar council. The vigilance had booked Dhillon, Jasvir Singh, a sanitary inspector with the council, and a farmer of Badrukhan village, Randhir Singh, for the scam on March 16.
According to the FIR, the nagar council signed a contract with the farmer, Randhir, in 2013 to use 5-acre (around 20 bighas) he owned in the village for a dump, paid him, but did not use the land. It had been rented for six years at ₹25,000 per bigha.
‘PAYMENT MADE, BUT POSSESSION NOT TAKEN’
According to the FIR, the council did not take possession of the land. The farmer had been cultivating 2.25 acre from 2014 to February 2017. On the rest of the land, he conducted mining. Vigilance DSP Hans Raj said, “The inspector did not act against the farmer, even as the land was used for other purposes. The council paid ₹29.5 lakh to the farmer, and this was a loss for the state government.”
FEIGNING IGNORANCE, HE HAD SOUGHT PROBE
The vigilance claims that as Dhillon got wind of an inquiry being lodged into the payments made and whether the council was actually using the land, he made a show of demanding an inquiry into the scam.
“When Dhillon got to know that an inquiry had been initiated against him, he held a press conference and tried to create an impression that he was unaware about the wrong-doings,” the DSP added.
In June 2017, Dhillon held a press conference and alleged that a farmer and some officials of the local bodies department had earned huge money in the name of a garbage dump. “I seek an inquiry into the garbage dump scam,” he had said. The vigilance claims that during this time, Dhillon arranged another payment of ₹5.4 lakh to the farmer, Randhir.
“Raids are being conducted to arrest the accused but, he is not in the city. Inspector Jasvir has been transferred from Sangrur. The farmer will be arrested soon,” the DSP added.
The accused have been booked under sections 13 (1) (D) and 13 (2) 88 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and 409 (breach of trust), 420 (cheating), 120-B (conspiracy) of the IPC. They also face a case under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act. In spite of several attempts, Dhillon could not be contacted for comment.