In the scam, windfall gains were made by private persons as nearly two km-long stretch was purchased from farmers at lower rates in Hoshiarpur to pocket heavy compensation after getting the land use changed with the connivance of revenue officials.
The son of a senior BJP leader has been summoned by the Vigilance Bureau in the multi-crore Hoshiarpur land scam. Jived Sud, son of former Local Bodies, Industry and Commerce minister Tikshan Sud, has been asked to join the investigation on Monday at the VB office. Tikshan Sud had also stayed adviser to CM Parkash Singh Badal, with a minister of state status, after losing the 2012 Assembly poll from Hoshiarpur.
On Thursday, summons were issued in the names of Jived Sud and his associate Akhil Sud — both partners in a firm called SS Engineering.
VB sources informed that money was allegedly transferred to the account of same firm by Parteek Gupta, a key accused in the scam who was arrested from the Delhi Airport recently. SS Engineering had received Rs 1.75 crore on May 2, 2016 and Rs 75 lakhs on May 5, 2016, just before the unearthing of this scam in June last year.
In the scam, windfall gains were made by private persons as nearly two km-long stretch was purchased from farmers at lower rates in Hoshiarpur to pocket heavy compensation after getting the land use changed with the connivance of revenue officials.
The land in question had been acquired by the NHAI for a four-laning project, and the accused had purchased the land both immediately before and after the notification for acquisition. Even PMO had also asked Punjab Additional Chief Secretary to probe the matter.
Earlier, VB has summoned Parteek Gupta’s close relative, Anju Aggarwal, who is also alleged to be a major beneficiary is the land acquisition scam.
SSP said that they will summon all those who directly or indirectly received the compensation money paid by NHAI against the acquisition of land for four-laning project on the controversial stretch in Piplanwala village.
“We will see that where that money was used by those who got it,” added the SSP.
Parteek and Anju Aggarwal are alleged to be among the major beneficiaries who had purchased land at throw away prices and sold it at high rate to the government. While Parteek received over Rs 15 crore, Aggarwal got Rs over 4 crore compensation.
RTI Activists Rajiv Vashisht, who had exposed this scam, said that Jived Sud is close to Parteek’s family and also had business ties with them at some stage.
Jived Sud, when contacted, said that he has received summons to appear as a witness to corroborate certain things regarding the said firm. “I have nothing to do with that firm now as it was sold long back,” he said.
