Chandigarh: In more trouble for Chief
Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Lokpal on Tuesday ordered an
inquiry into an alleged land grab complaint filed against him
and his ministerial colleague Ranjit Singh Brahmpura.
The inquiry was ordered on a petition filed by an NGO here
which alleged that 282 acres of common land at Badaphul
village in Ropar district of the state was illegally taken
over by the two.
The NGO alleged that Badal in connivance with Brahmpura
ignored the state government`s notification of 2007 that
village common land cannot be sold to anyone or it cannot be
transferred in anyone`s name.
Badal took the land in its possession and planted popular
and other crops on it in violation of rules and regulations,
the NGO alleged.
The Lokpal recorded the statements and evidence given by
the NGO to support its contention. It asked its IG to inquire
into the complaint and file a report by December 20.
Meanwhile, Badal was not available for comment. Party
sources said that they will not speak on the issue till
the inquiry is completed.
In September, the Lokpal had ordered inquiry into
allegations of irregularities against Badals in plying of
private buses in Punjab while in August the ombudsman ordered
a probe into a complaint on "illegal occupation" of prime
government land in Kapurthala district by former Shiromani
Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee chief Jagir Kaur allegedly at
the behest of Chief Minister Badal.
PTI
