Mining row: Captain orders probe into charges against minister Rana Gurjit

‘BENAMI’ MINING BIDS Justice JS Narang (retd) to conduct inquiry and submit report within one month; power minister says he has full faith in the judicial process

CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Monday ordered a judicial probe into the mining contracts allegedly bagged by four former employees of state minister Rana Gurjit Singh. The income tax department has also initiated a probe into the mining contracts. Plunged into a crisis barely two months after coming to power , the Captain Amarinder Singh government finally gave in to pressure mounting from all quarters by ordering the probe .

CHANDIGARH : Plunged into a crisis barely two months after coming to power and before its first budget session in June, the Captain Amarinder Singh government finally gave in to pressure mounting from within the party and outside —Aam Aadmi Party and the SAD-BJP — by ordering a one-man judicial commission to probe the allegations of “benami” bids against irrigation and power minister Rana Gurjit Singh in the sand mining auctions held recently.

The inquiry would be conducted by justice JS Narang (retd), who would submit his report within a month. Though the minister, who met Amarinder at his residence on Monday, offered to resign in order to ensure a “free and fair” investigation, the CM asked him to continue till the outcome of the probe.

The pressure to act against Rana was mounting from within the Congress too with state Congress president Sunil Jakhar admitting that the party’s “zero tolerance to corruption” slogan had been dented by the charges. “The Congress had promised clean governance and we stay committed to it. The CM has reinforced this message by ordering a probe,” Jakhar said.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi too had been apprised of the matter by state affairs in-charge Asha Kumari and Harish Chaudhary.

The CM, in his statement said, though the minister has denied any links of his company, Rana Sugars Limited, in the recent mine auctions, stating that neither his family or company has a direct or indirect stake in the business, a probe has been ordered in the “interest of ethics, propriety and transparency”.

Rana was quick to welcome the inquiry and said he has full faith in the judicial process and expressed confidence that he will come out clean.

The minister had earlier run into controversy over his firm selling power to Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), which falls under his ministry, but had escaped scrutiny by claiming that the agreement was entered into during the previous SAD-BJP government.

One of the “blue-eyed” ministers of Amarinder, Rana is known for hosting him. But with his mining stakes raising a storm, the CM decided not to let him become the proverbial millstone around his neck.

Resentment was also brewing over Amarinder’s silence among Congress legislators and leaders.

But many wannabe ministers chose the “wait-and- watch” line as the cabinet expansion is due before the budget session. With a stellar tally of 77 MLAs, Amarinder has kept the carrot of ministerial berths dangling by swearing in just nine ministers into his cabinet when he took over as CM on March 16.

There was no question of allowing any deviation from the government’s policy of clean governance. I will take all steps to ensure that there is no violation of the trust reposed by the people in my government. CAPT AMARINDER SINGH, CM