Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday demanded an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as well as the Enforcement Directorate into the alleged funding by Punjab Irrigation and Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh's associates in the controversial sand mining auction immediately.
"Now that it has become clear that the main accused in the Rs 1,000 crore Irrigation scam had financed the sand mine auction bid of Irrigation and Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh's close associates and partner, a CBI as well as Enforcement Directorate inquiry should be initiated immediately," said SAD senior leaders and MPs Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Balwinder Singh Bhundur.
They said that central agencies should also probe the release of Rs four crore to contractor Gurinder Singh, who was the main accused in the Irrigation scam, by Rana Gurjit Singh's ministry.
"How can the Irrigation ministry release money to a contractor who is being probed and has even been arrestedIJ The contractor's direct involvement in the sand mine auctions on behalf of Rana Gurjit's associates alone can explain the undue favours given to him by the Irrigation ministry," the leaders added.
SAD leaders said that in both cases, the minister was liable for criminal prosecution as facts revealed that Irrigation scam money had been used to fund personal business interests of his close associates and partner Capt JS Randhawa.
"There is no way he can continue as a minister and chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh should dismiss him immediately", they added.
Dhindsa said that the revelations had also exposed the "friendly" probe done by Justice(retd) JS Narang who had tasked with probing the sand mine auctions by the Punjab government despite it being well known that he was a close chum of Rana Gurjit.
"The inquiry itself was a sham because the government limited it to inquiring into whether the terms and conditions of the bid were adhered to instead of probing how the minister's cook Amit Bahadur and other employees bid for four sand mines by putting up multi crore bids. The source of the money including its benami nature was never probed", they said adding the entire issue should be investigated afresh. Dhindsa said that the chief minister should also explain why he had turned a blind eye to the sand mining auction irregularities as well as loot of the State exchequer by release of money to the tainted contractor by Rana Gurjit's ministry.“If no action is taken even now then Punjabis will make their own surmise that the entire government is complicit in these illegal acts”, he added.