Residents allege land grabbing by ex-minister’s kin, seek CBI inquiry

Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, May 16

Residents of the Sterling Town Villa project on the 66-ft road have alleged here today that their legally owned land was being grabbed by an NRI, Amritpal Singh, who was a close kin of a former minister.

They said they had lodged a complaint against him, but he always go scot-free due to his political links.

While addressing mediapersons, the residents, led by Rajan Chopra, said in 2007, they purchased around 22-23 acres from Amritpal’s attorney Parampreet. They have got all required documents, including the registry, NOC approved by PUDA and other legal papers which clearly state that the land in dispute had been approved as the road to our farm houses, and is the property of the Sterling Town Villa residents. However, the NRI is illegally trying to grab the land by threatening them wit his powers and political links, Chopra alleged.

“At the time of the purchase, they were lured of buying the land by showing the same area which was supposed to be a wide road, but after four years Amritpal illegally got papers of the land on his name, and started harassing us as he wanted that there should be no road to the farm house and as a result, we will be forced to sell our property on cheap rates,” said Surjeet Arora, another owner who have around seven acres approved at the same site.

Chopra said on May 14 around 6 pm on the 66-ft road adjoining Hamilton Towers, Amritpal along with his alleged goons, JCB machine and trolleys tried to encroach upon the road by digging the already laid stones that leads to their farm houses. They said he had earlier also uprooted the main gate that was built on the front of the road.

He alleged when the owners reached the spot, he blatantly started threatening them by taking the name of a former minister. The owners said he (Amritpal) was also threatening them of filing legal cases against all buyers. However, “he himself has given in writing while he took the token money from us in 2007 that he had sold this land to us”.

They demanded a CBI probe into the matter and action against the persons involved in the case and added that in case of any untoward incident or physical injury to the land owners or their family members, Amritpal should be held responsible.

Meanwhile, Amritpal Singh said allegations of all who claim themselves landowners were false and were created to malign his image.

He said the front part of the land belongs to him and he posses all documents regarding the same.

However, despite repeated attempts, the politician concerned could not be contacted.