Ex-GMADA chief engineer summoned in PMLA case

Tribune News Service

Mohali, December 16

A special enforcement directorate court in Mohali has summoned ex-Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) Chief Engineer Surinder Pal Singh, his wife Mandeep Kaur, brother-in-law Gurmesh Singh Gill, beneficiaries and company directors Mohit Kumar, Gurinder Pal Singh and Amit Garg in connection with a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case on January 19.

The 29-page order, pronounced on December 8, follows a complaint filed by the assistant directorate of enforcement regarding a cheating, criminal conspiracy and Prevention of Corruption Act case registered against Surinder Pal, Mohit, Gurmesh, Gurinder Pal, Amit Garg and others on June 8, 2017.

The Vigilance Bureau (VB) chargesheet in the case noted that the former GMADA chief engineer had been posted at various offices of the Punjab Mandi Board and GMADA from 2012 to 2017.

The court noted based on the chargesheet: “During such postings, he misused his official position, and an approximate amount of Rs 65 crore was deposited in the companies (that were allotted works) from 2006–07 to 2016–17. He allotted more than 200 various works worth Rs 1,030 crore (to some companies). Out of them, approximately Rs 230 crore of works were allotted only to M/s Ek Onkar Builders and Contractors Pvt Ltd and three bogus companies, namely M/s Access Agro Seeds Pvt Ltd, M/s Auster Agro Traders Pvt Ltd and M/s Award Agro Traders Pvt Ltd. These were floated by Surinder Pal in the names of his wife, Mandeep Kaur, and mother, Swaranjit Kaur.”

“The companies were projected to be involved in the production and trading of seeds; however, in reality, no work was being carried out by them. A total of Rs 65 crore was deposited in cash into the bank accounts of the aforementioned companies. It has been revealed that the funds were bribe money laundered by Surinder Pal with the help of the three bogus companies. The total proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 43,20,25,917 were frozen by the directorate of enforcement,” the court further observed based on the chargesheet.

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