Rs 100-crore scams unearthed in Jalandhar Improvement Trust: Chairman

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 13

Jalandhar Improvement Trust chairman Jagtar Singh Sanghera today said he had unearthed scams worth Rs 100 crore during the tenure of previous chairmen in the Trust.

Sanghera said the past chairmen and senior officials of the JIT remained involved in various wrongful allotments of prime properties in the name of their family members or those closely linked to them for huge personal financial gains. He said he had taken hold of all these files and had begun recommending action against the wrongdoers.

The JIT chairman said: “I am also in possession of evidences wherein kickbacks of Rs 50,000 are getting reflected as bank to bank transactions. The role of a former Superintending Engineer too is under the scanner.” He said details of the cases would be out in coming days.

Sanghera, who is also spokesperson for the Aam Aadmi Party, said he had also started the process of recovering properties, which had been given out for lease for a minimal amount and the lease period had expired. In some such cases, including those of educational institutions and KL Saigal Memorial, the lessee had even found to have violated norms laid down in the lease.

“We have started the process of recovering back vacant properties to begin with. In sites where schools/colleges are being run, we have asked the managements to make full purchase payments to the Trust so as to continue to run operations,” he said.

On the issue of Latifpura demolitions and compensation to the affected families, he said: “It has been months since I have invited applications from the affected families and have been asking them to seek plots and flats from me, but no one has approached us so far.”

Sanghera announced that the JIT had started the process for registration for e-auction of some commercial and residential properties in various localities, including Surya Enclave, Surya Enclave Extension, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Avenue, Guru Amar Das Nagar, Shaheed Bhagat S Colony and Master Gurbanta S Enclave. He said these properties included two sites for nursing homes, one for primary school, 16 shops, booths, old age home, etc. He said the registration would continue till 5 pm on March 22, while e-auction would be held between March 27 and 29.

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