Three ex-EOs blamed for Rs59 lakh loss to MC
Our Correspondent
Abohar, September 29
In a report sent to the Principal Secretary, local government, the MC has blamed three former executive officers (Eos) for incurring a financial loss of Rs 59 lakh in connection with the case of sale of some commercial plots in a shopping centre near Nai Sadak, during the rule of BJP-Akali alliance in 2010.
The secretary had directed the MC to fix the responsibility for the financial loss. As per the details sent in response, by allegedly tampering with the terms and conditions and forging signatures for the sale of plots, Bhushan Singh Rana, a former executive EO, illegally favoured Raman Kumar, Ram Avatar, Hitesh Garg, alias Rohit Garg, and Chand Kumar Setia, causing a loss of Rs 54 lakh to the MC. Jagsir Singh Dhaliwal, also a former EO, allegedly gave the benefit of Rs 4 lakh to Ramesh Kumar and his wife Meena Rani, and another former EO Bhushan Aggarwal allegedly gave the same illegitimate benefit of Rs 1 lakh to Ramesh and Meena.
The Retired Municipal Council Employees Welfare Association had sent a complaint to the state government against the former EOs and demanded an inquiry. The case was investigated separately by the Vigilance Department, the Local Bodies Department and the Local Fund Audit Department. On the basis of the reports, two years ago, cases were registered against the dealing clerk, Jaspal Singh, and then Municipal Council president and state BJP secretary Shivraj Goyal. They both got bails. Jaspal Singh died in December, last year, while a challan has been presented in the trial court against Goyal. As per the complaints, the site plans for construction were approved and the sale deeds were executed, even when the full payment was yet to be made to the MC.
The loss was estimated to be Rs 71 lakh, of which Rs 12 lakh has been recovered. Some of the successful bidders have to pay Rs 59 lakhs. Notices have been issued to all erring plot-holders by the Municipal Corporation Commissioner Abhijeet Kaplish. On October 6, the local body department had called the three former EOs to Chandigarh to submit their explanations.
