Harpal Singh Cheema. (File)
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab has levelled serious allegations against the Punjab’s Congress government of a multi-crore land scam in the National Highway 105-B connecting Bathinda, Moga, Jalandhar and Jammu, alleging involvement of a Cabinet Minister and a Congress MLA.
The Leader of Opposition, Harpal Cheema, has demanded a time-bound probe into the “scandal” by sitting High Court judges. He alleged that the Congress leaders were purchasing land which was to be acquired for building a national highway at throwaway price from gullible farmers while they themselves would get a much higher price when the land was acquired by the government.
Speaking to media persons at his official residence in Chandigarh Wednesday, Cheema alleged that the multi-crore land scam was engineered by a Cabinet minister and some who’s who of the ruling party leaders, officials and brokers.
Cheema informed that NH 105-B Bathinda-Amritsar Highway connecting Jalandhar-Jammu Highway through Baghapurana-Moga-Dharamkot was under construction for which land of various villages, including Dharamkot, Moga, Baghapurana, Jaito and Rampuraphul constituencies was acquired.
Making the documentation public, Cheema said that as per the sale deed, the first notification for the identification of the land was issued on January 10, 2020, whereas even before the notification was issued, the ruling Congress leaders and concerned officials were allegedly aware of the entire project.
The second notification was issued on May 21, 2020 and the final notification was issued on May 22, 2020, saying that from November 2019 to May 2020, more than 55 sale deeds of the 105-B land were executed, he argued.
The AAP leader alleged the sale deeds/registries and even power of attorneys were allegedly made by none other than powerful politicians and officials in the name of their relatives, friends and co-workers. Cheema said that money transaction worth Rs 350 crore in this regard was done through a private bank in Ajitwal village. He said that if the High Court probed into the multi-crore high-profile scandals, dozens of farmers who were subjected to an open ‘loot’ by the land mafia will come forth with details.