Graft charge baseless, BJP frustrated: Minister

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, January 7

Trashing the allegations levelled against him as baseless and unfounded, Punjab Industries Minister Sunder Sham Arora termed BJP leader Tikshan Sood’s remark as nothing more than a result of political frustration after being humiliated by farmers all around the country.

Ridiculing the allegation of Sood about corruption in the Industry Department of Punjab and the charge that the Industries and Commerce Minister sold government land on lesser rates to industrialists by pressurising the board of directors of the Punjab State Industrial Corporation, a spokesperson of the Department of Industries and Commerce clarified that the auction of plot no. A-32, Phase VIII, SAS Nagar (Mohali), measuring 31 acres, which was allotted to M/S JCT Electronics on 99-year lease-hold basis by Punjab Infotech was done by ARCIL (and not by any state agency) appointed by the official liquidator, who was appointed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court as M/S JCT Electronics Ltd failed to fulfil its financial obligations to bankers/financial institutions.

The case was referred to the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction and the Punjab and Haryana High court ordered the company to be wound up and an official liquidator was appointed to take over the assets of the company.