HC notice to Punjab on plea seeking CBI probe into irrigation scam

THE SCAM HAD ALLEGEDLY TAKEN PLACE DURING THE SAD-BJP REGIME FROM 2012-17

CHANDIGARH : The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday sought response from the Punjab government on a plea seeking directions to hand over the investigation of alleged irrigation scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The HC bench of chief justice RS Jha and justice Arun Palli acted on the plea from one Harmit Singh seeking revival of a 2021 petition, which was disposed of by the high court as state had promised to take action in the case. The multi-crore scam had allegedly taken place during the SAD-BJP regime from 2012-17. The plea said, despite order dated July 14, 2021 and then order dated November 8, 2021 passed by the HC asking the authorities to take action in the matter, there was no headway in the investigation allegedly involving the two ex-ministers, three IAS officers and two other accused persons. Plea demanded that the probe into August 17, 2017, criminal case registered for cheating, criminal breach of trust, forgery and related charges under IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act by the state’s Vigilance Bureau, Mohali be handed over to the CBI. It also sought monitoring of the same. The plea claims, state government has failed to complete the investigation. The plea claims in September 16, 2022, approval was granted under section 17-A of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for carrying out the investigation which was later on “converted/amended into inquiry”. In the present case, FIR has already been registered, thus, no inquiry can be conducted, the petitioner had argued alleging that the state had “intentionally and deliberately” in order to help the two ex- ministers and three senior-most IAS officers of the state has delayed the matter.

The FIR was registered on August 17, 2017, under the Prevention of Corruption Act against “kingpin” and contractor Gurinder Singh and some officers of the state. The vigilance bureau said during the Akali government’s tenure, senior officials connived with the contractor and allocated works worth ₹1,000 crore to him at more than 50% of the departmental rates. As per the vigilance, Gurinder had made a confessional statement on December 19, 2017, that he had paid bribes in crores to get undue benefits.