Punjab govt notifies terms of reference for mine auctions inquiry commission
Chandigarh: The Punjab government today notified the terms and conditions for the commission of inquiry constituted to probe irregularities, if any, in the sand mining auctions alleged to involve 'benami transactions' by cabinet minister Rana Gurjit Singh. The one-man commission of retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice J.S. Narang will probe all aspects of the allegations of impropriety against Irrigation & Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh in the multi-crore sand mining auctions conducted recently by the state government. Disclosing this here, a spokesperson of the Punjab government said the notification had been issued after getting the terms and conditions finalized by the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Mr. Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi. The Commission, set up under Section 11 of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952, has been mandated to inquire: 1) Whether the terms and conditions of the bid were adhered to, qua Saidpur Khurd and Mehadipur Mines, while awarding the tender of these two Mines to the Amit Bahadur and Kulvinder Pal Singh [hereinafter referred to as the H1 Bidders) 2) Whether the Minister Rana Gurjit Singh has in any manner influenced the price bid at which these two Mines were awarded 3) Whether the H1 bidders were bidding on behalf of the Minister in question, for the said two Mines 4) Whether the Minister has received any undue financial benefit or gain from the award of such two Mines to the H1 bidders 5) Whether there has been any loss to the state revenue by the award of such two Mines to the H1 bidders at the price in question. The tenure of the Commission would be for an initial period of one month to be extended by Government if required. All the provisions of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 shall apply to the said Commission. The notification further pointed out that the government had taken cognizance of the news reports that alleged that the H1 Bidders are/were employees of Rana Gurjeet Singh. The earnest money payable by such H1 bidders (within 2 days as per the tender conditions) was paid by one Rajbir Enterprises [hereinafter referred to as the Investor]. The allegation appears to be that the said H1 bidders are nothing but a front for the Minister in question, who had influenced the price bid by virtue of being a Minister, thus financially benefiting from the tender, causing loss to the State revenue, as per the notification. The Commission was constituted by the government in view of the public importance of the issue, given the need to maintain law and order in the State and the faith of people of Punjab in good governance by the State, the notification added. —PTC News
