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Jang-e-Azadi Memorial probe: Vigilance sends 17-point poser to Hamdard, summons him on June 16
The Punjab vigilance bureau (VB) has again summoned Ajit Group editor-in chief Barjinder Singh Hamdard on June 16 in an inquiry into the alleged misuse of funds during the execution of the ₹315-crore Jang-e-Azadi Memorial dedicated to freedom fighters at Kartarpur, 18km from district the headquarters
Jalandhar :The Punjab vigilance bureau (VB) has again summoned Ajit Group editor-in chief Barjinder Singh Hamdard on June 16 in an inquiry into the alleged misuse of funds during the execution of the ₹315-crore Jang-e-Azadi Memorial dedicated to freedom fighters at Kartarpur, 18km from district the headquarters.
The VB has directed Hamdard to visit its Jalandhar range office with replies to a 17-point questionnaire already sent to him.
The VB had earlier summoned Hamdard on May 29 but he sought 10 days’ time to appear. Later, he approached the Punjab and Haryana high court demanding that the probe should be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
On June 1, the high court directed the VB to send a questionnaire to Hamdard in writing and not to summon him in a probe regarding the construction and running of the Jang-e-Azadi memorial.
A senior VB official said the 17-point questionnaire has already been served to Hamdard and he has been asked to appear in person along with a reply to these questions.
“The questionnaire focuses on the verification of source report regarding Jang-e-Azadi Memorial project, timeline of funds allocated to its foundation committee by respective government, tendering process adopted, procurement of furniture and other equipment and infrastructure used in the project,” the official said.
Hamdard, who was instrumental in the conception and construction of the project since 2012, had quit as the member secretary of the Jang-e-Azadi Memorial Foundation and as its managing committee president on April 10, blaming the AAP government of “repeatedly maligning the name of the memorial by sending police and vigilance teams”.
Senior superintendent of police (VB) Jalandhar range Rajeshwar Singh Sidhu confirmed the development but refused to divulge more details.
The opposition parties, including the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal, BJP and SAD (Sanyukt), put up a united face and held a meeting in Jalandhar on June 2 to protest against the VB probe against Hamdard.
The opposition leaders gave a clarion call for unity and also supported the resolution passed against the government in this regard.
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party slammed opposition leaders for infringing into a free and fair probe into the construction of the memorial built with taxpayers’ money.
Based on complaints of alleged misuse of funds in the construction of the memorial, the Jalandhar vigilance bureau initiated the probe in March. Besides confiscating official records from drawings to funds sanctioned by the state government from 2014-16, the VB questioned the memorial’s managing committee secretary.
Spread over 25 acres at Kartarpur, the mega project was the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP government’s dream project.
