I-T sleuths raid former Bhoa MLA Joginder Pal's house, office premises

Ravi Dhaliwal

Pathankot, October 28

Pre-dawn income tax raids on the residential and office premises of controversial Congress ex-MLA of Bhoa, Joginder Pal, have sent shock waves among leading Congress men of Majha with almost all of them fearing “they could very well be the next target of the Central agency”. The business premises of six of his immediate relatives were also brought under the scanner. It was not immediately known if the agency found any incriminating documents or cash.

‘Mining king’ of Majha out on bail

• Joginder Pal, known as the ‘mining king’ of Majha, is out on bail. The Pathankot police had registered an FIR against him on June 17 at the Taragarh police station under Section 21 of the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act
• On June 21, he was granted regular bail by a city court and since then Pal has been convalescing at his Ghas Mandi house

More than 50 I-T sleuths reached the Ghas Mandi residence of Pal at Sujanpur around 5.30 am. Simultaneously, a raid was also conducted at the office of Krishna crusher, an entity owned by Pal at Kirrian, 20 km from the city, and also at his other residence located near the Sundarchak bus stand.

Nobody was allowed to enter any of the premises. Those inside were not allowed to move outside. The media too was kept at an arm’s length. Pal, who is suffering from multiple ailments was at his Ghas Mandi residence when the sleuths raided his residence.

The raids remained the talk of the town throughout the day even as Congress men could be seen discussing their future with the party. “It will be better for us to join the BJP. That way, these agencies will stay away from us,” said a prominent leader.

Two petrol pumps, both owned by Pal’s kin, were also searched. A private hospital was also put under the lens.

Pal remained Bhoa MLA from 2017 till 2022 and locals still remember the help he rendered to them during Covid.

His proximity to Leader of Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha Partap Singh Bajwa is well known in the area. Pal’s five years in power were marked by repeated run-ins with officials of the Pathankot administration. His party colleagues had given him the sobriquet of ‘enfant terrible’ not only for his repeated attacks on his own party men, but also for the manner in which he often embarrassed senior officers.

He had gained much infamy when he was in power. So much so, Cabinet Minister Harjot Singh Bains had addressed him as “the kingpin of the mining mafia in Pathankot” in one of his tweets in June.

He even had the audacity to take on the Deputy Commissioner and the SSP during his days in power. Days after he passed insulting remarks against SSP Gulneet Khurana, the officer led a daring raid at his crushing unit and seized equipment besides arresting some of his employees.