Vigilance attaches 59 properties of EX-GMADA chief engineer

CHANDIGARH : The Vigilance Bureau, Punjab, has attached 59 properties of Surinder Singh, former chief engineer of Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) valued at around ₹26 crore. One of the properties attached is House number 36, Sector 27. The 1,000 square yard house is valued at ₹10 crore. The other properties are much smaller in size, of the order of 4-8 marlas, and are in Ludhiana, Mohali, Rupnagar and Chandigarh. A Mohali court had issued the attachment orders.

Assistant director general of police (Adgp)-cum-chief director of the vigilance bureau, BK Uppal, said, “Our investigation showed that Surinder, who also served as chief engineer of the Mandi Board, registered three fake companies. These were M/s Access Agro seeds Pvt Ltd, M/s Award Agro Seeds Pvt Ltd and M/s Auster Agro Traders Pvt Ltd in the names of his wife Mandeep Kaur and mother Swaranjit Kaur. Over four years, these companies showed a turnover of ₹419 crore and were used to siphon off bribe money.”

Uppal added, “During his stint in GMADA, Surinder formed a fake construction company namely ‘Ek Onkar Builders and Construction Pvt Ltd’ in which he appointed directors of his own choice. Tenders were alloted illegally, helping him amass ₹419 crore.”

The vigilance chief added Surinder had shown fake business of sale deeds in these companies whereas physically there was no such business. “During his tenure in GMADA and Punjab Mandi Board, the accused deposited around ₹66 crore of this illgotten money. Thereafter, he purchased properties at Ludhiana, Ropar, Mohali and Chandigarh of around ₹26 crore.”

Surinder registered the sale deeds at collector rates and he is also accused of accumulating assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

A First Information Report (FIR) number 13 has already been registered against Surinder under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act in November 2017.

Another FIR (number 6) was registered against him in June 2017 at vigilance bureau police station in Mohali. Challans have been presented in trial courts in all these FIRS.

Fake companies were used to siphon off bribe money. BK UPPAL, chief director, vigilance