VB files challan against ex-Mohali DDPO among 10 for embezzlement

: The Punjab vigilance department on Saturday filed a chargesheet against 10 people, including former Mohali district development and panchayat officer (DDPO) Gurvinder Singh Sarao, for alleged embezzlement of funds pertaining to the acquisition of land at Jheurheri village for the international airport.

Besides Sarao, the 1,000-page chargesheet names the then block development and panchayat officer (BDPO) Malwinder Singh, the then BDPO Jatinder Singh Dhillon, the then panchayat secretary Ravinder Singh, the then sarpanch Gurpal Singh and Surinderpal Mittal, Jeetpal Mittal and Vaneet Mittal of Mittal Traders, Sangrur, and lawyer Mohd Sohel Khan.

The vigilance has listed 45 witnesses in the case.

In February this year, the vigilance had arrested Sarao, who was then posted as Mansa additional deputy commissioner (ADC), BDPO Malvinder and panchayat officer Ravinder Singh in the case.

It was alleged that 36 acres of shamlat land was acquired for the construction of the airport, for which compensation of ₹1.5 crore per acre was awarded. The government had released ₹54.17 crore to the panchayat, but the funds were placed at the disposal of the director (rural development and panchayats).

The VB probe into the land purchase scam in Fatehgarh Sahib and Mohali had revealed bungling of crores of rupees by the accused officers and others.

The panchayat department had found irregularities in the purchase of land in two villages of Fatehgarh Sahib and Mohali and established connivance of department officers and others.

The land was shown to have been purchased at a far higher rate than the market rate, without taking prior sanction from the competent authority as required under the rules. Investigations pointed out that sarpanch Gurpal Singh along with department officers and private persons had embezzled the funds.

LAND WAS SHOWN TO HAVE BEEN PURCHASED AT A FAR HIGHER RATE THAN THE MARKET RATE