Inquiry report puts ex-president in dock

Our Correspondent

Abohar, April 17

The inquiry report submitted to the Secretary, Local Bodies Department, Punjab, by the Deputy Director, Local Bodies, Ferozepur region, has put BJP leader Shiv Raj Goyal, former president of the Municipal Council, in the dock in the controversial land sale deeds.

The department had received complaints that the council officials “tampered” with the terms and conditions to illegally benefit the defaulters in the sale of land on Nai Sadak, the auction of which was held on August 20, 2010, when the BJP ruled the council.

The complaints alleged that in “fake” terms of conditions, the rate of interest chargeable from defaulters was reduced from 18 to 7 per cent and transfer fee slashed from 3 to 1 per cent.

Responding to the secretary’s memo of January 19, 2015, the Deputy Director in his report dated April 13, 2015, (copy available with The Tribune), said Shiv Raj Goyal and former executive officer Jagsir Singh Dhaliwal were asked to identify their signatures on the original and “fake” terms of condition sheets.

Goyal has claimed that the sheet listing 13 terms and conditions carried his signatures while Dhaliwal has described the sheet with 14 terms and conditions to be genuine and the same carried his signatures.

The Deputy Director has said the version of Dhaliwal appears to be genuine and reliable but the explanation given by former president Goyal can’t be relied upon. The complaint appears to be correct, he added.

The Assistant Controller, Local Audit, Punjab, had early this month issued a notice to the MC for the recovery of Rs 40.49 lakh and recommended action against the erring staff/officials.

Dhaliwal had said in his reply during the inquiry that he held the charge here from May 11, 2010, to December 8, 2010. During the period, plots were auctioned by the council. Payments were received from two allottees with interest at 18 per cent.

The Assistant Controller said in his findings that lesser rate of interest and transfer fee was charged from six allottees by forging terms and conditions, the cash strapped council suffered a loss of Rs 40,49,314 on this account.