Encroachment: Notices to state, Lokpal, Bibi Jagir Kaur
Saturday, 31/05/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140531/punjab.htm#22
Chandigarh : Acting on a petition accusing former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur of encroaching upon more than 149 kanals of prime land, Justice Ritu Bahri of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued a notice of motion to the State of Punjab and the Lokpal.
A notice for October 28 was also issued to Bibi, the Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner and other respondents on the petition filed by George Subh of the Begowal Nagar Panchayat, seeking a CBI probe into the “multi-crore land scam”.
Claiming that the market value of the land was more than Rs 100 crore, the petitioner said it belonged to the Begowal panchayat. A part of the land was being utilised to run Sant Prem Singh Khalsa High School that stood on two to three acres. The remaining 18-20 acres were being used by Bibi for agricultural purposes and personal gains, the petitioner said.
“The private respondents have raised a 1-km-long and 6-ft-high boundary wall. The Nagar Panchayat, Begowal, issued a notice dated August 8, 2009, to stop the construction. In spite of the notice, the construction on the government land was not stopped,” he alleged.
The petitioner claimed he and other residents of the area approached the authorities for redressal of their grievance, but to no avail. They approached then MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira who obtained information under the RTI Act. It was found that there was no record on any land lease. “There was also no record to show as to how and on whose orders the name of the president of Sant Prem Singh Khalsa High School had been entered in the revenue record of the Nagar Panchayat land.”
“Abusing her position and because of the shelter and patronage of Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, enjoyed by Bibi, no action of any sort has been taken to stop the illegal activities of the school,” the petitioner alleged, adding that they had also approached the Lokpal but to no avail.
