Barjinder Singh Hamdard given 7 days to appear before VB

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Jalandhar, May 23

A day after the Vigilance Bureau booked 26 persons, including Managing Editor of the Ajit Group of Publications Barjinder Singh Hamdard in the alleged misappropriation of funds case in the Jang-e-Azadi Memorial Project, the agency on Thursday issued him a notice asking him to appear in the DSP’s office in Jalandhar on May 31. Hamdard has been summoned by the bureau a day before the poll has been scheduled in Punjab.

Almost a year back when an inquiry began into the case, Hamdard had moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court which had directed the VB to issue him a seven-day notice after the lodging of an FIR and before taking any coercive action. Following the HC orders, the notice was issued today by the DSP, Vigilance Bureau, Jatinderjit Singh.

Vigilance cites violations in the project

• Both Hamdard and IAS officer Vinay Bublani, in violation of the rules, had allotted the construction works to their choicest contractor Deepak Builders/Sham Benegal Films without inviting tender.
• They misused their powers for their personal benefits and connived with the contractors, who violated the original plans. They made excess payments to the contractors.
• Deepak Builders started purchasing steel from April 2015 while Hamdard and Bublani got the approval for the same three months later.
• Since there was additional expenditure, other components like 10 statues, four galleries on the first floor, memorial icon, food court, atrium, etc. could not be constructed and are still incomplete.

The copy of the notice to Hamdard reads, “Our inquiry report has found financial irregularities in the project worth crores and hence an FIR has been lodged against you and others. As per the HC orders, you are being served a seven-day notice. You are required to appear before the DSP on May 31 so that you could be questioned and the next proceedings may be carried out.”

Meanwhile, the Election Commission’s Special Observer for Punjab has asked the Chief Electoral Officer to seek a report from the Chief Secretary on the matter.

‘Out of station’

Vigilance officials said since Barjinder Singh Hamdard was not available at his place or office and was told to be out of station, the notice had been pasted at the entrance of both places and delivered to him via his WhatsApp number and email.

Even as BJP state president Sunil Jakhar, CLP leader Partap Bajwa and SAD chief Sukhbir Badal yesterday written to the ECI over the registration of an FIR against Hamdard and terming it an attack on the freedom of the Press, the ECI release reads that the report has been sought on the basis of reports in various newspapers today. The Chief Secretary Punjab has been asked to furnish his reply by this evening.

Even as Hamdard and his family have been avoiding to speak, a front page write-up in language paper Ajit read: “A false case has been made against 26, including Hamdard, and that the voice of the paper is being suppressed as per a conspiracy hatched in the name of fund embezzlement in the project.”

It also mentioned, “The PWD staff had been pressured to give statements against Hamdard and build a case against him.”

Several leaders and political observers have questioned the timing of action against Hamdard as it has happened in the peak election days. “Instead of focusing on his campaign in the last leg of poll, we are really shocked to see CM Bhagwant Mann has started targeting us. Even in the 2023 bypoll, Mann’s tweets were trying to defame us,” an Ajit group insider said.

Hamdard had a very strong affinity with the late CM Parkash Singh Badal, who had entrusted him with the concept designing, planning and contruction of his pet project in Jalandhar. Reacting to the issue, Charanjit Channi, former Chief Minister, Punjab, said, “Seeing the success of Jang-e-Azadi project handled by Hamdard, former CM Capt Amarinder Singh had urged him to get involved in concept designing and supervision of the ‘Pind Bebe Nanki Da’ project at Sultanpur Lodhi, which was worth Rs 500 crore but he refused. If he had any lust for money as is being alleged, he would have agreed to take up the second project too.”