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VB books developer, arrests Punjab chief town planner for graft
The allegations pertain to various irregularities in the passing of residential projects in connivance with GMADA officials, says a VB official
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has registered a case against Jarnail Singh Bajwa, director of Bajwa Developers Limited, Sunny Enclave Kharar, Punjab chief town planner Pankaj Bawa and revenue patwari Lekh Raj (now retd) on the charges of various irregularities in the residential and commercial projects under Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), officials said on Saturday. VB arrested Pankaj Bawa in this case.
The vigilance bureau has registered a case under sections 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 13(1)(a) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act at police station vigilance bureau, flying squad-1, Mohali.
“Apart from this, the role of officers/employees of GMADA, PUDA, chief town planner Punjab, and municipal council, Kharar, or private individuals would also be probed during the investigation of this case,” a VB official spokesperson said.
VB spokesperson said during the investigation of a complaint it was found that Bajwa Developers Limited got passed a residential, and commercial project from the state government on about 179 acres of land in villages Sinhpur, Hasanpur and Jandpur in Mohali district but various irregularities have been found the probe.
“According to the decision taken by the empowered committee on 22-03-2013, the said promoter did not deposit 1% of the project cost or a maximum of ₹1 crore as cancer relief fund with the government and the officials/employees of PUDA didn’t initiate any action against the developer in this regard as per rules. Besides this, the developer had also got approved layout plan of a mega residential project in the Sunny Enclave in village Jandpur, Sinhpur, Hasanpur in Sector 120, 123, 124 and 125 and got approved housing plan for economically weaker sections (EWS) on area of 9.09 acres. Out of this area, 4 kanal 17.1/10 marlas of village Hasanpur and the area of 57 kanal and 0.1/2 marla of village Sinhpur was registered in the name of GMADA, but the registration of the area of 1.32 acres was still not done in the name of GMADA by Bajwa Developers Ltd,” VB spokesperson said.
VB further said during the probe it also came to light that mutation of the said land has been registered in the name of GMADA even after the lapse of seven years and this area is still owned by Bajwa Developers and the land owners, who have given consent to the developer, which proves the connivance of the officials/employees of GAMADA with the said developers.
“During the probe, it was also found that pertaining to Khasra No. 3//1/1/1, 4//5/2, 4//2, 4//3/1, 11//16/3 (shamlat land) of Sinhpur village, Mohali, the officers/employees of the office of Chief Town Planner (CTP) had not passed change of land use (CLU) certificate but Bajwa, in connivance with the then deputy town planner (DTP) of that time Pankaj Bawa, Raghbir Singh, assistant town planner, and Lekh Raj, patwari (now retd) got approved the said land in the layout plan without any approval,” the spokesperson said.
Similarly, Bajwa Developers, in collusion with the officials/employees of the chief town planner, Punjab, got the land of various persons passed in the layout plan by imposing fake consents without their knowledge, VB added.
VB said Bajwa, in collusion with the then GAMADA officials, during the years 2014 and 2015 has constructed about 78 commercial booths in the mega project of Sector 123, without getting the designs/maps passed, which has caused financial loss of crores of rupees to the government.
