Akal Takht team begins probe

Jalandhar, July 11

Following a complaint about an alleged scam worth crores at a gurdwara in Preet Nagar, a seven- member team from Akal Takht on Wednesday visited the city to investigate the matter.

The team comprising Ajit Singh, Bibi Tarlochan Kaur from the Dharam Prachar committee and Inspector Prem Singh visited the gurdwara and called its management.

Despite waiting for four hours, none from the management came to join the probe.

As per Dilbagh Singh, a former member of the management committee who had lodged the complaint, alleged that gurdwara president Chanbir Singh and a former employee, Gurinder Singh, had misused the funds for the past years.

“Gurinder misused funds to the tune of Rs 7 lakh and was expelled from the committee a few months ago. Following this, people went to his home and demanded to return the money. Finally, he returned it,” said Dilbagh, adding that despite this, other management members did not take any action against the president, who was allegedly involved in the scam, and cleared the bills submitted by Gurinder without any scrutiny.

The people alleged that recently, both of them got a new hall constructed on the third floor of the gurdwara at an estimated cost of Rs 95 lakh.

“We have demanded a probe in the matter. When asked to provide details, the president expelled me from the committee,” he said.Following this, over 250 people signed a petition and appeared before the Akal Takht and sought a probe into the matter. “We have demanded to lodge a police complaint against the president and to expel him with immediate effect,” he said.

Despite repeated attempts, Chanbir could not be contacted.