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HC gives CBI 3 months to probe Sector-5 property grab case
The case came to light in August, when Padamjit Singh, 84, a former United Nations executive who lives in the US, alleged that a petition filed on July 8 using his name was not, in fact, filed by him
The Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe within three months an alleged attempt to grab an NRI’s ₹30-crore property in Chandigarh’s upscale Sector 5.
In the detailed order released on Tuesday, the bench of justices Daya Chaudhary and Meenakshi Mehta asked CBI to entrust the probe to a superintendent of police rank officer and submit the report by February 26.
The case was handed over to CBI on October 30.
The case came to light in August, when Padamjit Singh, 84, a former United Nations executive who lives in the US, alleged that a petition filed on July 8 using his name was not, in fact, filed by him.
The NRI and his brother’s family have 50% share each in the property — House No 17 in Sector 5 — as later verified by the Chandigarh administration.
Padamjit Singh, in a July 8 plea, had claimed that he had not sold his share to a woman named Pritam Kaur, but in an affidavit in August said he had in fact sold it to her and that no one had been authorised by him to file the July 8 plea.
When the lawyer appearing in connection with the July 8 petition was questioned, he told court that the matter had been conveyed to him by another lawyer and all requisite permissions to file the plea were obtained through mail.
HC in its order said that in the best interests of justice the entire matter regarding the transfer of 50% share of the house in dispute by Padamjit Singh and all the matters incidental thereto, including the said record in respect of the house in dispute having gone missing from the Estate Office, Union Territory, Chandigarh, be referred to the CBI for investigations.
“It is further clarified that the CBI shall look into all the angles of the said dispute,” the order stated.
