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Punjab vigilance probing 16 complaints against food supplies dept, Bharat Bhushan Ashu in line of fire
These complaints were received at the vigilance bureau’s district offices in Ropar, Jalandhar, Ferozpur, Patiala, Bathinda and Ludhiana after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government took over the reins in March. Ashu was arrested on Monday in a complaint received earlier at bureau’s Ludhiana office pertaining to irregularities involving transportation and cartage of food grains procured.
There are at least 16 more complaints pertaining to alleged irregularities in the functioning of food and civil supplies department during the Congress regime, that are currently being investigated by the Punjab vigilance bureau.
Sources in the bureau revealed that most of the complaints are against former food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu and if corroborated, it will spell more trouble for the ex-minister and other officials of the department.
These complaints were received at the vigilance bureau’s district offices in Ropar, Jalandhar, Ferozpur, Patiala, Bathinda and Ludhiana after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government took over the reins in March. Ashu was arrested on Monday in a complaint received earlier at bureau’s Ludhiana office pertaining to irregularities involving transportation and cartage of food grains procured.
Ashu was arrested after it was found that a contractor, Telu Ram, used cars, jeeps and scooters to transport tons of food grains. The minister’s role was corroborated in the course of investigation, said a vigilance officer. Telu Ram was arrested last week.
“If the facts highlighted in these complaints are corroborated, a fresh case will be registered,” said a vigilance department officer on the request of anonymity.
Most of the fresh complaints pertain to rejection of tender applications of small contractors for transport and cartage on frivolous grounds, and handing over of these contracts to influential people close to Ashu.
A complainant from Nawanshahr said that he even apprehended registration of false case at the behest of the former minister, then vigilance head of the department Rakesh Singla and ex-minister’s PA Meenu Malhotra. The food department last week dismissed Singla pending a charge-sheet for taking Canadian PR while Meenu has been absconding.
In a peculiar kind of complaint, a cashier of cooperative body Kirat and construction society limited alleged that he applied for a tender for cartage with Pungrian – the food department’s nodal agency for procurement, which was rejected citing absence of Aadhar card. His subsequent appeal was rejected twice for tangible reasons.
Different complaints brought on record show that tenders were allotted about 71 to 117% higher than the actual cost of the tenders. “Out tenders quoting the lowest rates were rejected owing to political pressure, and exorbitant rates were allowed leading to scams,” said a complainant from Mohali. HT has the details of all the complaints.
A complainant from Ludhiana has requested the vigilance bureau to conduct investigations into demolition of his farm house at Ludhiana, suspecting that it was demolished at the behest of Ashu who wanted to grab the property.
