Chandigarh February 24 – The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has registered a case against Jarnail Singh Bajwa, director of Bajwa Developers Limited, Chief Town Planner Punjab (CTP) Pankaj Bawa, and retired revenue Patwari Lekh Raj for illegally passing housing projects. CTP Punjab Pankaj Bawa has been arrested in connection with the case.
Violation of Approval Conditions
The investigation uncovered that M/s Bajwa Developers Limited received approval for residential/commercial projects spanning approximately 179 acres of land in villages Sinhpur, Hasanpur, and Jandpur in Mohali district. However, they failed to deposit the required one percent of the project cost or a maximum of Rs. 1 crore as a cancer relief fund with the government, as per rules.
Unregistered Land and Collusion with GMADA
Despite GMADA registering a significant portion of the land, Bajwa Developers Ltd. failed to register 1.32 acres in GMADA’s name even after seven years. Collusion between GMADA officials/employees and Bajwa Developers Ltd. contributed to the failure to register the mutation of said land.
Irregularities in Layout Plans and Construction
The investigation revealed irregularities in the approval process, with Bajwa Developers obtaining approval for layout plans without proper authorization. Collusion with officials led to the inclusion of various persons’ land in layout plans through falsified consents. Moreover, unauthorized construction of commercial booths in the Sector 123 mega project caused substantial financial losses to the government.
Legal Action and Ongoing Probe
The Vigilance Bureau has registered a case under various sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act. Investigators will examine the roles of officials/employees of GMADA, PUDA, Chief Town Planner Punjab, Municipal Council Kharhar, and private individuals during the investigation.