Stamp duty evasion: CBI files case against parking lot contractors, unidentified govt staff in Chandigarh

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, February 27

In a trouble to Municipal Corporation officials, the CBI has registered a case against contractors of two paid parking lot management agencies and unidentified government servants for allegedly paying less stamp duty for execution of license deed for 89 such lots.

Instead of Rs 21.04 lakh, the accused in connivance with the Municipal Corporation officials allegedly paid only Rs 7.01 lakh, causing loss to revenue authorities, the CBI observed.

According to the FIR, which is in possession of Chandigarh Tribune, a preliminary enquiry, dated September 11, 2023, was initially registered in this regard. During the course of enquiry, it came to light that the contractors were issued letter of intent and allotment letter without executing the license/lease deed.

The license/lease deed was executed around 1.5 years later after issuance of allotment letter through Monil Chauhan, Superintendent (Parking), on the direction of Satish Kumar Jain, the then Additional Commissioner (II), MC.

“As per both the contractors, the lease deeds were prepared by Monil and handed over to them for executing the same. She was well aware about the amount of lease deed as Superintendent Grade-II. It was her duty to check the amount of average annual lease on which the stamp duty was to be paid in the office of sub-registrar, Chandigarh, stated the FIR.

“Jain, the then AC, signed both the lease deeds without taking approval from the Competent Authority and legal vetting on file through proper channel. He was well-aware about the audit paras wherein the amount of stamp duty was clearly mentioned but he filed audit para reply without any action,” the FIR stated.

A case under sections 120-B r/w 420-B of the IPC has been registered against Ram Sunder Prasad Singh, Pashchatya Entertainment Pvt Limited through its Director(s), Sanjay Sharma, Director of Pashchatya Entertainment Pvt Limited, Vikas Pandey, authorised signatory of Pashchatya Entertainment Pvt Limited and unknown public servants for investigation.

Further, role of the sub-registrar may also be examined. Ram Sunder was the contractor of 32 paid parking lots and Pashchatya was contractor of 57 ones.

The Chandigarh police in March last year arrested Sanjay Sharma, Director, Pashchatya Entertainment Pvt Ltd, for allegedly submitting fake bank guarantees of Rs 1.65 crore for running 57 paid parking lots in the city.