Randhawa’s trust bought Jahaz Haveli in ’07

Vishav Bharti

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 11

A former director of Punjab’s museums and archaeology had in 2007 bought the famous protected archaeological site of Jahaz Haveli in Sirhind, considered a heritage property as it was built by Diwan Todar Mal in the 17th century. The site is of immense historical importance for Sikhs as Todar Mal had sold off this haveli to buy a small piece of land for the last rites of Guru Gobind Singh’s two sons who were martyred by the Nawab of Sirhind.

Recently, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence informed the Punjab Government that the former director, Navjot Pal Singh Randhawa, had also been helping antiquity smuggler Vijay Nanda to buy Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanerette furniture in Chandigarh.

The state government had declared Jahaz Haveli a protected monument in the 1980s. But since the government did not acquire the land on which the monument was built, its ownership remained with private individuals for decades. Using that loophole, Mohali-based Punjab Virasat Charitable Trust purchased the land on which the monument was standing. Randhawa and his family were associated with the trust that bought the monument. Randhawa was also at one point posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner in Fatehgarh Sahib.

Two former officials of the Archaeology Department have told The Tribune that he was keen to restore the monument. “He asked me for original pictures of the haveli. I told him that these could be available either at the library of the Asiatic Society or London’s Victoria and Albert Museum,” says KK Rishi, who was the then Punjab Museums Archaeological Officer.

However, Randhawa’s plans were upset when in 2007 the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) said the monument was of historical importance for Sikhs, and they would preserve it, and appealed to the then chief minister to protect the monument. Avtar Singh Makkar, who was the then SGPC president, says, “I told the owners that if they wanted to donate the property, we would welcome that. Or if they wanted to sell it, we were prepared to pay whatever amount they wanted.”

The Chief Minister subsequently intervened in the matter, and Randhawa gave the land to the SGPC without any payment in May 2008, according to Makkar.

Earlier, there have been allegations that Randhawa has also bought several items considered ‘heritage’ by some from Punjabi University, Patiala, in scrap and then sold those abroad for hefty amounts. Service rules do not allow government officials to indulge in trading.

Minister for Cultural Affairs and Tourism Navjot Singh Sidhu recently told the media that as per the DRI notice, Randhawa received Rs1.5 crore from antiques smuggler Vijay Nanda, and that he was also sending Nanda pictures of antique items.

Randhawa has served for almost 10 years on various positions dealing with museums in Chandigarh and Punjab.

Despite repeated attempts, Randhawa didn’t take calls.

Diwan Todar Mal’s haveli 

• A notification of the government declared two kanals and 17 marla and Todar Mal’s Jahaz Haveli on it protected monuments on June 17, 2003. 
• It was built in the 17th century and was the residence of Todar Mal, a trader of Sirhind who served as Diwan in the court of Nawab Wazir Khan, governor of Sirhind under the Mughal Empire. 
• As per Sikh legend, on December 13, 1705, Mal performed the cremation of Sahibzadas Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh and Mata Gujari 
• He paid for land required for the purpose with a large amount of gold coins.