High court puts Ashu, state govt on notice

LUDHIANA: The Punjab and Haryana high court has put state food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, chief secretary, director general of police and 19 others on notice for August 23 in the Ludhiana change of land use (CLU) case.

Urging the court to issue directions to the principal secretary, local bodies department, DGP, chief vigilance officer of the local bodies department to lodge a first information report (FIR) against Ashu, builders and officials of the local bodies and revenue department, petitioner and whistleblower Kuldeep Khaira has also demanded that the case should be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

CASE ROCKS PUNJAB ASSEMBLY

The CLU case rocked the Punjab assembly in February after an inquiry report regarding construction of flats got leaked to a section of the media.

The AAP members raised the issue during zero hour of the House. It has been alleged that CLU was granted to a private developer to construct flats at Ishar Nagar on Gill Road in violation of norms.

In his petition, Khaira alleged that Ashu, senior town planner Gautam Kumar, assistant town planers Kuljit Mangat, SS Bindra, patwari Ravinderpal Singh and others helped the builder by preparing a false report.

ALLEGATION OF DEED TAMPERING

Khaira alleged that the local bodies department and MC officials had changed the first page of sale deed and also tampered with the khasra numbers. They obtained CLU on the basis of forged documents, Khaira alleged.

Earlier, an audio clip went viral wherein Ashu is allegedly threatening inquiry officer Balwinder Sekhon. Khaira also demanded security for him and his family members as he alleged he was continuously getting threat calls.

Khaira said he filed a petition as no action was taken against the inquiry report of Sekhon.

Also, a report of additional deputy commissioner had found irregularities in the case but no action was taken, he alleged.

IT WAS ALLEGED THAT CLU WAS GRANTED TO A PRIVATE DEVELOPER IN VIOLATION OF NORMS TO CONSTRUCT FLATS ON GILL ROAD