Mining row: Inquiry panel seeks extension

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 3

The one-member judicial commission, set up to probe the alleged role of Irrigation and Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh in the sand mining auction, today sought an extension after the lapse of its one-month deadline.

Following an expose by The Tribune, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had constituted a commission of inquiry under Section 11 of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952, on May 29. Justice JS Narang (retd), who heads the commission, was asked to submit the report within a month. The terms of reference and constitution of the commission was formally notified on May 31.

The one-month term of the commission came to an end last week. Sources in the Chief Minister’s office confirmed that the government had received a request from the commission seeking an extension. They said the decision would be taken tomorrow.

When contacted, Justice Narang refused to talk, saying he was busy with the probe.

The Tribune had reported how four employees of Rana Gurjit Singh were awarded the tenders during the auction of sand and gravel mines on May 19 and 20.

AAP announces indefinite stir

Sunam: Punjab AAP convener Bhagwant Mann and co-convener Aman Arora on Monday announced a state-level indefinite agitation to press for the resignation of Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh, who faces allegations of impropriety in the multi-crore sand mining auction. They said this at the local dental college, where the bhog was organised to make the death anniversary of Arora’s father and former Congress minister Bhagwan Dass Arora. “We have to delay the agitation because of the ongoing paddy transplantation season. We will make it a public movement against the minister. Every city and town will witness indefinite protests till Rana Gurjit’s resignation,” Arora said. Mann said that on May 29, the government had announced the formation of a Justice JS Narang (retd) inquiry panel and that it would submit a report in a month. TNS