Patiala land scam: Questions over no action against former divisional commissioner

Though the Punjab vigilance bureau (VB) registered a forgery and criminal conspiracy case on Friday against 10 persons, including former deputy commissioner (DC) Vikas Garg, in the Patiala land scam, the virtual clean chit given to former divisional commissioner GS Grewal has raised a serious question.

Though the Punjab vigilance bureau (VB) registered a forgery and criminal conspiracy case on Friday against 10 persons, including former deputy commissioner (DC) Vikas Garg, in the Patiala land scam, the virtual clean chit given to former divisional commissioner GS Grewal has raised a serious question.

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Only departmental action has been recommended against the since-retired Grewal who, as per the initial probe into the scam by his successor SR Ladhar, paved the way for the scam.

Here's how:
The then DC Deepinder Singh first refused to execute the sale deed in October 2010, saying that the land was government property. But Ravdeep Singh and others, who held a power of attorney from the self-proclaimed owner of the land, moved the high court. The court told DC Deepinder to redress their grievances in a week, so he formed a committee that concluded that the land was indeed government property. Thus, there was no question of a private party selling it to another.

At this, Deepinder again refused to execute the sale deed.

For more details, read Hindustan Times