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JCT Electronics’ plot sale: BJP leader Sud seeks minister Arora’s resignation
Senior BJP leader and former Punjab minister Tikshan Sud on Tuesday demanded the resignation of industries minister Sundar Sham Arora and that he should not occupy the ministerial berth till the time Lokpal completes an inquiry into the sale of liquidated JCT Electronics’ 32-acre commercial plot in Mohali to a realty firm
Senior BJP leader and former Punjab minister Tikshan Sud on Tuesday demanded the resignation of industries minister Sundar Sham Arora and that he should not occupy the ministerial berth till the time Lokpal completes an inquiry into the sale of liquidated JCT Electronics’ 32-acre commercial plot in Mohali to a realty firm.
Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, Sud said Arora was a shareholder in the realty company, GRG Developers and Coloniser, which bought the controversial plot.
“We have given all documents in this regard to the Lokpal, which has already asked Arora to appear in person on October 12. We demand that till this probe is completed, Arora should stay away from the cabinet otherwise as a minister, he can influence the probe or manipulate the evidence,” Sud said.
The former minister also alleged that the industries minister also extended undue favour to Gulmohar Township India Pvt. Ltd. that bought a 27-acre piece of land and sold it further by dividing it into 125 small plots. “The sale of plots without the approval of PUDA and RERA has caused a loss of ₹500 crore to the exchequer,” Sud said.
However, the industries department has refuted all allegations regarding the sale of plots by Gulmohar Township. “The allegations of undue favour and financial loss to the exchequer are completely unfounded and not based on facts,” a spokesperson of the department said in a press statement.
He clarified that Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation (PSIDC) had sold Plot No 1 (25 acres) in Phase 9, Mohali, as a freehold property in 1984 and the sale deed was executed in 1987 between the PSIDC and Punjab Anand Labs India Ltd. Thereafter, as per orders of the court and following due process of law, the said plot was transferred in the name of Signify Innovations India Ltd, which applied for the no objection certificate (NOC) to sell off the freehold property in favour of s Gulmohar Township India Pvt. Ltd. in November 2020. The PSIDC as per procedure issued the NOC and Gulmohar Township applied before PSIEC for fragmentation of 25-acre land into 125 plots as per the standard policy applicable across Punjab, the spokesperson said.
“Sud is frustrated these days as I had defeated him twice in elections. He has also lost support in Hoshiarpur which was evident when his wife lost the councillor’s election. He held press conferences with the same documents, first in Hoshiarpur, then in Jalandhar and now in Chandigarh,” said Arora.
