I-T raid at Ludhiana assistant town planner’s house
LUDHIANA: The investigation wing of the income tax department conducted simultaneous raids at 25 properties, including the BRS Nagar residence of Ludhiana assistant town planner (ATP) Surinder Singh Bindra, on Wednesday.
Raids were also conducted at properties of two business groups, SEO Bridal Studio, a designer-wear showroom on the Ferozepur Road, and Roop Square, a clothing outlet in Ghumar Mandi.
Sources in the I-T department said 25 properties — including 10 residential and 15 commercial of the two business groups and the ATP — in Ludhiana, Khanna, Jagraon and Ambala were raided.
I-T officials said they had information that the owners of the business groups and the ATP had assets disproportionate to his income and had investments running into crores of rupees.
They added that there was additional information that Bindra had unaccounted-for cash stashed in his residence.
Ritesh Parmar, additional director, income tax (investigation wing), said, “Ten bank lockers have been sealed till now and raids will continue till late at night.”
25 PROPERTIES OF TWO BUSINESS GROUPS AND THE ATP — IN LUDHIANA, KHANNA, JAGRAON AND AMBALA — WERE RAIDED TOO
OFFICER HAS BEEN CONTROVERSIAL
Posted in the Zone D of the municipal corporation, Bindra has been a controversial figure.
He faces several complaints for alleged rampant irregularities in the building branch of the civic body.
Allegations have also surfaced that the ATP was hand in glove with unscrupulous builders, allowing illegal construction in violation of building bylaws.
Having joined the municipal corporation as an inspector, Bindra rose through the ranks and shifted to the palatial BRS Nagar residence from Model Gram some time ago.
He is considered to be close to a Congress legislator, and a transport and cable TV baron in the state.
In 2014, the vigilance bureau had arrested his brother Harwinder Bindra, a house tax inspector, on charges of corruption.