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Sukhpal Singh Khaira, MLA Bholath

 

Congress demands a CBI probe into illegal mining at the behest of  political mafia, causing hundreds of crores losses to public exchequer besides destroying the ecology of the state.

April 05, 2012

The recent exposure of illegal mining of sand and gravel along the river Sutlej in Ropar district is just the tip of the ice berg of statewide political mafia patronizing this illegality. As reported the mining mafia has set up more than 20 new crushers in just two villages of Agampur and Suhara in Ropar district along the river Sutlej. More than 600 trucks ferry sand and gravel from these two illegal mining sites doing worth more than Rs. 4.5 crore business each day. One can gauge the quantum of illegal mining in the whole state. Interestingly, even these illegal miners have to pay royalty to its political masters and the rate of royalty per truck is Rs. 1800/-.

As stated earlier this is only the tip of an ice berg of the statewide well organized network of illegal mining backed by political mafia. The Congress alleges, that this trade of illegal mining cannot flourish without the connivance, support and backing of bigwigs of the ruling alliance i.e the Badals. Illegal mining is causing losses of hundreds of crores of losses annually to the public exchequer. As an example, only 13 quarries in Ropar have been allotted mining permits by the state govt. but mining is virtually negligible, which clearly indicates that the mafia have a field day and earn many more times by mining from illegal sites. Although the legally auctioned sites across the state fetch less than Rs. 100 crores annually, illegal mining costs the state exchequer more than Rs. 500 crores.

Besides causing huge losses to the public exchequer, illegal mining has imbalanced the ecology and the environment of Punjab. Once an abode for migratory birds on the foot hills of the Shivalik mountains, the river beds are now lined up with stone crushing machinery. Similarly there is huge air pollution due to illegal mining along the rivers of the state.
The Congress has for long been demanding investigations into illegal mining for the past five years and have raised this issue many times in the Vidhan Sabha too, but to no avail. It is now amply clear that the family of the Chief. Minister including the Dy. C.M. and his brother in law Bikram Majithia Revenue Minister have a deep vested interest in this business of illegal mining.
Therefore, the Congress urges the Governor of Punjab to order a CBI inquiry into politically backed illegal mining in Punjab. Our demand is justified keeping in view the involvement of the family of the Chief Minister in this illegal trade, as such there is no hope for justice from them.

SUKHPAL SINGH KHAIRA
Ex-MLA.

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Request for a judicial inquiry into the lapses of preferential treatment to the convicts of Harpreet murder case and their transfer to a jail outside Punjab.


To                                                                                      
Sh. Shivraj Patil,
Hon’ble Governor,
Punjab.

Subject: Request for a judicial inquiry into the lapses of preferential treatment to the convicts of Harpreet murder case and their transfer to a jail outside Punjab.

Dear Sir,
As you are aware, Bibi Jagir Kaur Ex-President SGPC alongwith three others has been sentenced to five years  rigorous imprisonment in the Harpreet Murder case, by the Special CBI court of Patiala on 30.03.12.



Ms. Harpreet Kaur daughter of Bibi Jagir Kaur had died under mysterious circumstances on 20th April 2000 at Phagwara. In order to shield Bibi Jagir Kaur, the then Chief Minister cum Home Minister S. Parkash Singh Badal ensured that no F.I.R. was registered, neither any inquest proceedings were allowed nor any post mortem was allowed to be conducted. Sh. Badal personally supervised the hurried funeral of Ms. Harpreet Kaur in the early hours of 21st April 2000 and made sure that all evidence including the remains of Ms. Harpreet Kaur were immersed in the river Beas there and then. The complicity and indulgence of Sh. Badal in the said case is well known and so is the proximity with the guilty Bibi Jagir Kaur. Thereafter, Sh. Badal kept promoting the political interests of Bibi Jagir Kaur during the 12 year trial by appointing her to high positions of power such as President of SGPC from 2003-2004, Chairperson of District Planning Committee Kapurthala 2007-2012, Cabinet Minister for 16 days now, nominating her to fight assembly elections in the year 2002, 2007 and 2012.


The abject surrender of the law and order machinery of Punjab was complete after Bibi Jagir Kaur and others were convicted. The Punjab Police, Jail authorities, Minister for Jails, medical officers etc. have been bending head over heels to ensure comfort and VIP treatment to the guilty. All major newspapers and electronic media have completely exposed undermining of judicial authority by giving such preferential treatment to the guilty. Bibi Jagir Kaur travelled by a private air conditioned SUV from Patiala to Kapurthala jail on 30.03.12. The escorting police party took her to the ‘Dera’ at V. Begoval at 11:00 P.M. that night before leaving her at the jail at Kapurthala at 12:45 A.M. 31.03.12. It took six long hours for them to travel from Patiala jail to Kapurthala Jail, a distance of 175 kms easily coverable in three hours.        
Media has shown officers in uniform touching the feet of guilty Bibi Jagir Kaur, all norms of jail manual have been thrown to the winds. ‘Durbars’ are being held by Bibi and her co guilty in the jail with hundreds of people being allowed to meet her. She operates her mobile no. 98141-44368 from within the jail to issue instructions to govt. officials. There was no bar for visitors even on Sunday i.e. 01.04.12 to meet the guilty in hundreds. The Jails Minister Sh. Sarwan Singh made a personal visit to the jail on 31.03.12 on the instructions of the Chief Minister to ensure special treatment to the guilty. So did Sh. Bikram Majithia Revenue Minister on 2-04-12. As per media reports an LCD television and a TV dish has also been installed for the comfort of Bibi Jagir Kaur and the other convicts.


Therefore, keeping in view the deep rooted interest and connivance of the Chief Minister Sh. Badal in shielding, protecting and giving VIP treatment to the guilty, I urge you to set up a high level commission of judicial inquiry preferably by a sitting judge of the High Court to look into gross constitutional lapses committed the State of Punjab, I also urge that Bibi Jagir Kaur and the other guilty be shifted to Chandigarh Jail pending such inquiry in the interest of justice.
With regards,

Sukhpal Singh Khaira
Ex-MLA

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I demand the impleadment of S. Prakash Singh Badal CM as accused in the Harpreet murder case, for willfully destroying evidence and shielding the guilty. I also seek has resignation for patronizing and shielding criminals in politics.

 March 31, 2012
SUKHPAL SINGH KHAIRA
Ex-MLA

I demand the impleadment of S. Prakash Singh Badal CM as accused in the Harpreet murder case, for willfully destroying evidence and shielding the guilty. I also seek has resignation for patronizing and shielding criminals in politics.
      Though the law of the land has finally caught up the guilty in the Harpreet murder case, I would term it half baked, belated, justice delayed as justice denied. It took twelve long years for our criminal justice system to partially get hold of the powerful, well connected and rich people.

      Unfortunately, the CBI has failed to implead S. Prakash Singh Badal CM as accused for his role in protecting and shielding the guilty and for destroying important evidence in the case. The same set of ruling elite was in power on the day of mysterious death of Harpreet Kaur.

Firstly, Sh. Badal who also held the portfolio of Home Minister did not allow a F.I.R. in the unnatural death of Harpreet Kaur. Therefore, he specially flew to V. Begowal in the early hours of 21st April 2000 to personally supervise the hurried funeral of Harpreet Kaur. He made sure no post mortem was conducted by exerting pressure on the police and civil administration. No inquest proceedings were allowed in the matter. The funeral was organized as early as 8.30 A.M. that morning and the entire funeral pyre alongwith ashes and remains was cleaned up and thrown in the river Beas on his instructions. Hence, Sh. Badal became a part and parcel of the crime for destruction of evidence. Had the post mortem been conducted the cause of death, that is by poisoning as claimed by CBI would have been established. The accused would then have been convicted u/s 302 i.e. murder and they would not have been acquitted.

      Sh. Badal clearly misused his official authority to deny justice to the aggrieved and it was only after Kamaljit Singh approached the Hon’ble High Court that ordered a CBI probe leading to the present scenario.
      I also urge our law makers to make amends to the slow, tardy and expensive criminal justice system as it is extremely difficult for the poor and ordinary to fight prolonged legal battles by the particularly, when the accused are powerful, well connected and resourceful as in the present case.

      Therefore, in order to ensure full justice and transparency in the present case, it is demanded that Sh. Badal CM be booked under relevant sections of the IPC for destroying important evidence in the case that lead to the acquittal of the accused in the murder charge. I also demand his resignation for shielding, patronizing and promoting criminals in politics for the past twelve years.

Complaint against Bibi Jagir Kaur, MLA now Cabinet Minister

Sukhpal Singh Khaira
ex-MLA Bholath.
March 27, 2012

To                                                                                                                 26.03.2012

The Chief Election Commissioner,                                          
Election Commission of India,
Nirvachan Sadan,
New Delhi.

Subject: Complaint against Bibi Jagir Kaur, MLA now Cabinet Minister, for wrongful declaration and concealment of facts in her affidavit, at the time of filing of nomination papers from 26-Bholath constituency, Punjab, before the Returning Officer. Prayer for criminal proceedings against her, as per the Indian Penal Code in the said matter.

Sir,

I had contested for the assembly constituency of 26-Bholath as Congress Candidate in the elections held on 30.01.2012 in Punjab. In these elections, Bibi Jagir Kaur filed her nomination papers as Shiromani Akali Dal candidate from the said constituency on 11.01.2012, alongwith an affidavit before the Returning Officer 26-Bholath (copy of Affidavit attached as Annexure-A). The scrutiny of the documents was fixed for 13.01.2012 by the Election Commission as per the notification.  
I had filed the following three objections to the nomination papers of Bibi Jagir Kaur SAD candidate on 13.01.2012, which are reproduced hereunder for your kind perusal.

(i)            She was holding the post of Chairperson of the District Planning Board, Kapurthala and her term was extended for one year by the Government notification No.2/1/PSPB/P-0-2 /S.P./2011/2538 dated 08.12.2011 and that she had not resigned from the said post till the day of scrutiny.

(ii)          She was in illegal possession 98 kanals & 15 marlas of land belonging to Nagar Panchayat, Begowal, District Kapurthala.
(iii)         She being the member of Punjabi Co-operative House Building Society Ltd., Mohali entered into a tripartite development agreement with M/s. Hash Builders (Pvt) Ltd., Chandigarh and M/s. Tata Housing Development Company Ltd., Mumbai for construction of flats in multistory building.  The Income Tax Department issued to her a recovery notice of Rs.52 lakhs that stood as arrears against her and that she has not shown the default amount / government dues in her nomination papers.
(Copy of the objection dated 13.01.2012 is attached as Annexure-B).

In her nomination papers Bibi Jagir Kaur SAD candidate concealed the fact that there are any outstanding dues / income tax arrears against her besides replying to the other two objections.

The Returning Officer, 26-Bholath wrongly and illegally rejected objections filed by me, without going into the merits of the case.  (The photo copy of the order dated 13.01.2012 passed by Returning Officer, 26-Bholath is attached as  Annexure-C). In this order, the Returning Officer rejected the objections merely on oral submission by Bibi Jagir Kaur, without bothering to verify the said objections objectively.

The Income Tax Officer, Ward No.6(2), C-81, Industrial Area, Phase-VI, Mohali  had sent a letter through fax informing the Returning Officer that Bibi Jagir Kaur is in default of government dues of Rs.52,70,122/- out of which Rs.6,77,414/- has been recovered, rest still stand to be recovered from her.   It is further stated in the letter that field enquiries made revealed that Bibi Jagir Kaur has filed her nomination paper as SAD Candidate. Every candidate filing the nomination is also required to file an affidavit declaring the particulars of assessment, status of I.T.R. filed moveable – immovable properties and dues / liabilities outstanding towards the government.  The Income Tax Officer had requested the Returning Officer to intimate the following points, which are as under :-

(i)            Whether she has declared the amount outstanding at Rs.45,92,708/- against her for the A.Y. 2007-2008 in the Affidavit ?
(ii)          Whether she has intimated the details on her movable / immovable properties alongwith bank accounts as required as per   the  Affidavit ?  Please furnished a copy of the affidavit so that the recovery proceedings may be initiated and pursued to a logical end.

(Photo copy of the letter issued by I.T.O. Ward No.6 (2) Mohali is attached as Annexure-D).

From the above, it is clear that Bibi Jagir Kaur had filed false declaration alongwith her nomination papers wherein she has not disclosed any of the abovesaid objections raised by me.  I had sent a complaint to you on 25.01.2012 wherein, I had raised these points and requested you to immediately disqualify Bibi Jagir Kaur from contesting the elections but no action was taken. (Copy of the said complaint dated 25.01.2012 is attached as Annexure E).

Keeping in view the facts and the law, It is prayed that the Returning Officer 26-Bholath be instructed to initiate criminal proceedings against Bibi Jagir Kaur MLA now Cabinet Minister, under the provisions of the Indian Penal code.