Auction of mines under ED scanner
CHANDIGARH: Taking a suo moto notice of alleged ‘benami’ dealings in the recently held auctions of sand and gravel quarries in Punjab, the enforcement directorate (ED) has started probing the matter.
Punjab irrigation and power minister Rana Gurjit Singh has been accused of ‘benami’ transactions in acquisition of quarries. Though the minister has denied his role, the reports pushed the state government on a back foot, leading to the constitution of a judicial probe by a retired Punjab and Haryana high court judge.
“We have taken a suo moto notice. As the issue has been widely reported, we have started gathering facts related to the matter,” said Jalandhar-based ED joint director Girish Bali, adding that there were some anonymous complaints against the e-auction process as well . “Let’s see what can we do in the matter,” he said.
The ED might also ask the state government to send the documents and files related to the auction. The central agency might also question Amit Bahadur, under whose name the alleged ‘benami’ transactions were reported to have taken place, and other stakeholders in the auction.
Bahadur is shown as a working partner in one of the companies owned by Capt JS Randhawa, who is Rana Gurjit Singh’s friend.
The mining directorate of the industries department had auctioned 89 mines and raised bids worth ₹1,026 crore on May 19 and 20. But on May 23, the directorate received only ₹310 crore as upfront money for 41 mining sites.
After this fiasco, the big blow came when cabinet minister Rana Gurjit Singh was accused of bagging sand mines through former employees, including Bahadur, who gave bids running into crores despite having meagre monthly income.
Sources said initially Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh sided with the minister, but on examining the auction files, he ordered a judicial probe. Subsequently, the Aam Aadmi Party demanded sacking of the minister and protested outside the Vidhan Sabha.
Top officials of the Punjab industries and commerce department had said that their mandate was to conduct a transparent auction and not to look for the source of the funds used by the bidders.
TAKING NOTE OF REPORTS OF ‘BENAMI’ DEALINGS, CENTRAL AGENCY STARTS GATHERING FACTS