E-Paper
2022 missing land record case: SIT quizzes Majithia for 3 hours
The SIT, probing the 2021 drug case, quizzes the Akali leader for three hours in Nabha jail where the former minister is lodged in DA case
The special investigation team (SIT) probing the 2021 drug case on Monday quizzed senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia, lodged in Nabha jail, in connection with the 2022 land record missing case.
SIT members, including its head SSP Patiala Varun Sharma and SP (investigation) Gurbans Singh and others, questioned the former minister for close to three hours.
Confirming the development, one of the SIT members, on the condition of anonymity, said: “The SAD leader was questioned about the said land record missing case after taking judicial permission. At this time, we can’t disclose anything as the investigation is still ongoing.”
Majithia was arrested in a disproportionate assets (DA) case filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, on June 25, this year, from his residence in Amritsar, and is under judicial custody until August 28.
While the drug SIT is yet to file any chargesheet, on August 22, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau submitted a voluminous 40,000-page chargesheet in a Mohali court in the DA case.
On August 18, Punjab Police had obtained a blue corner notice from Interpol against Satpreet Singh Thiara, also known as Satta, a Canada-based NRI, in connection with the ongoing 2021 drug case.
It has been learned that SIT questioned the SAD leader in a 2022 land record missing case, which was lodged at Majitha police station, in Amritsar, against unidentified persons on January 4, 2022.
According to the FIR, a copy of which is with HT, the then clerk of the sub registrar office in Majitha block, Yadvinder Singh, alleged that land revenue records, registry deed number 1820, pertaining to 2012, were missing when he took charge as the registry clerk.
In his complaint the then clerk alleged that that some unidentified persons had stolen the land revenue record related to purchase of 32 kanals of land.
The FIR further added that Ganieve Kaur, daughter of Avinash Singh Grewal, had purchased around 32 kanals of land worth ₹39,00,000 from different people in 2012. Ganieve Kaur is the incumbent MLA from Majitha constituency and is the wife of Bikram Majithia.
The clerk in his complaint had requested the police to take action in the said case.
Acting on the complaint, Majitha police had then lodged an FIR under Sections 380, 201, 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against unidentified people.
Majithia’s lawyer Damanvir Sobti said the state government has ‘discreetly’ given the mandate to probe the FIR of the missing land records to the SIT that was probing the original drug case against the Akali leader.
“I have proof that SIT, probing drug charges, was given the mandate to probe charges of missing land revenue records a day after Majithia was arrested on June 25. We can prove it on record,” Sobti added.
