ED expands probe into Rs 2K-cr transportation tender scam
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has expanded the ambit of its investigation into the Rs 2,000-crore transportation tender scam. Though the alleged scam occurred during the term of the previous Congress government, the ED is now also seeking details of payments made to contractors by the various state procurement agencies during the first year of the Aam Aadmi Party rule in the state.
All state procurement agencies, including Markfed, Punsup, Pungrain and Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, have been asked to provide details of the payments made to certain contractors by the state government for transportation, labour and cartage, during wheat and paddy procurement in 2022.
The agencies have been asked to give details of the total payments made to those contractors; accounts in which the payments were made; and the account details of the agency by which the payments were released.
The contractors, who were allotted tenders for the transportation of foodgrains, cartage and providing labour during the previous Congress government, were retained by the AAP government, during their first year of rule. The irregularities in tenders allotted to those contractors, namely allotting tenders at substantially higher rates over previous years, changing the policy for transportation, labour and cartage in 2020-21, to allegedly benefit chosen contractors; besides allegations of bribe being paid for getting the tenders, were initially probed by the state Vigilance Bureau.
The ED launched its own investigation from the money laundering angle in 2023 and was initially only examining the details of the money paid to contractors in 2020-21 and 2021-22. They had even arrested Bharat Bhushan Ashu in the case last year and he was released on bail in December.
The agency has now sought details regarding some of the contractors hired for Sangrur, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Mohali and Ropar districts in 2022-23.
Highly placed sources in the state government told The Tribune that the details were sought by the central agency in the last week of December and most of them had already been furnished to the ED. A senior officer in the ED confirmed that they had received details of the payments made during the rabi and kharif marketing season of 2022-23, and that they were examining the same.
