There is more trouble for the beleaguered Punjab minister Rana Gurjit Singh. The Income Tax Department has started a probe into the mining contracts allegedly bagged by four of his former employees. The department has also written to the Punjab Government, seeking details of the mining contract bagged by four ex- employees of the Minister.
"An inquiry into the mining contract awarded to four persons whose names have appeared in newspaper reports, has been initiated but it is at preliminary stage now," an income tax official said on Monday.
Opposition parties, the AAP, the SAD and the BJP, have been demanding sacking of Rana, the state power and irrigation minister, for allegedly acquiring sand and gravel mines through "benaami transactions in the name of his former cook and staff".
They had raised questions over the allotment of mining contracts to Amit Bahadur at Saidpur Khurd village in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar for Rs26.51 crore, Kulvinder Paul Singh at Mehadipur in SBS Nagar for Rs9.21 crore, Gurinder Singh at Rampur Kalan village in Mohali district for Rs4.11 crore and Balraj Singh at Bairsal village for Rs10.58 crore.
The department has written to the state government to provide all details about the mining contracts. The IT sleuths have sought details such as at what rate the mining contract was allotted to them, how much upfront money has been deposited and what are their addresses, the official said.