MC employee found to be property dealer for illegal colony

An employee from the Patiala Municipal Corporation (MC) was found to be working as a property dealer for the illegal colony that cropped up in Gobind Bagh ward 17. After HT reported about the cropping up of the unauthorized colony, MC demolished the colony on Monday.

An employee from the Patiala Municipal Corporation (MC) was found to be working as a property dealer for the illegal colony that cropped up in Gobind Bagh ward 17. After HT reported about the cropping up of the unauthorized colony, MC demolished the colony on Monday.

HT Image

However, further investigation by this reporter revealed that Tara Puri, a tubewell operator with MC, was involved with the sale of plots in the illegal colony.

The phone number mentioned on the pamphlet advertising the colony matched the employee’s contact number, confirming suspicions.

Although the pamphlets did not mention the name, Puri’s contact details were procured from MC officials and were found to match the number given on the pamphlet. The MC employee’s involvement in the controversy also put his senior authorities under the scanner. Moreover, the silence of MC councillors over the issue raised several questions.

When contacted, Puri admitted that the mobile number mentioned on the pamphlets was his as he was a property dealer. But, he denied any links with the setting up of the illegal colony.

“I am only a property dealer and I am doing this business part-time. Some other people owned that land and they came up with this colony,” he said. Puri added that the owners used his number on the pamphlet as he was a property dealer

Interestingly, when this reporter called Puri on Monday, pretending to be a customer, the dealer introduced himself as ‘Puri’, but was reluctant to disclose his first name.