48. Setback for Badal government High court sets up tribunal

to investigate Punjab land grab case Setback for Badal government, High court sets up tribunal to investigate Punjab land grab case

By Naresh Kumar Sharma

CHANDIGARH: In a setback to Parkash Singh led Punjab government, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday ordered the constitution of a three-member tribunal to carry out probe into grabbing of government land in the periphery of Chandigarh by various influential persons.

The three-member to be headed by former Supreme Court Judge Kuldeep Singh has been asked by the court to submit the report in 4 months. The High Court also said in its order that if the tribunal needs extension beyond the 4 months time, it would approach the court for the same. The court also directed Punjab government to make available space and secretarial staff to the tribunal within two weeks.

Earlier on Monday, the two-member division bench comprising acting chief justice MM Kumar and justice Alok Singh had expanded the scope of judicial panel to be headed by retired Supreme Court judge Kuldeep Singh.

The bench had also directed amicus curiae Arun Jain to make additions and changes in the terms of reference prepared by him y for the tribunal and subsequently submit it on Tuesday to pass the final orders.

Besides this as per the earlier directions of the bench, five more petitions pending before the other bench of the high court in regard to government land grab cases in various parts of the state were added for judicial probe with the main case.

Punjab advocate general Ashok Aggarwal had made the bench apprised that various similar cases were pending before the Supreme Court, high court and the lower courts.

The matter of properties in and around Chandigarh held by various VIPs had come up before the the HC after Nayagoan-resident Kuldip Singh filied a writ petition in 2007 alleging land grabbing by VIPs in periphery.

Acting on the writ petition, the HC directed an inquiry into the matter. Following this, the inquiry was conducted by the then DGP-rank officer, Chander Shekhar, who retired in November last year.

The investigations conducted by Chander Shekhar had brought to fore that high-ups including Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, serving and retired top bureaucrats and police officers and other influential people have indulged in illegal construction in over 170 acres of forest land around Chandigarh.The list also includes two former police chiefs and a former chief secretary.

Chander Shekhar in his report submitted before his retirement had recommended a CBI probe into the matter.