Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 30

The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) has marked a probe into illegal mining allegations at Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant land in Bathinda to Secretary, Local Bodies Department, Ajoy Kumar Sinha.

“I had lodged a complaint with evidence regarding illegal mining on government land in Bathinda with Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, acting on which the CMO has directed Sinha to conduct a probe into the matter. A copy of the order has been sent to him as well,” SAD leader and former MLA Sarup Chand Singla said.

Welcoming the probe, Singla said if a fair inquiry was done in the matter, Finance Minister Manpreet Badal and his relative Jaijeet Singh Johal’s role in the case would be exposed.

Amid the Captain-Sidhu tussle, rebellion among Congress leaders against Manpreet Badal is increasing over the illegal mining charge levelled by Singla. Congress halqa in charge Harvinder Singh Laddi has also written a letter to CM Capt Amarinder Singh demanding an inquiry against Manpreet, his son Arjun Badal and Jaijeet Johal in this regard.

In the letter, Laddi alleged the Finance Minister and his relative had caused losses worth crores of rupees to the state government and dented the image of the Congress in Bathinda.

Talking to The Tribune, Johal said he did not want to comment on Laddi’s allegations. He said he welcomed the probe but the matter was with the Local Bodies Department, which is under the state government. So the media should investigate the matter independently to ensure fairness.

Action after our plaint, says SAD

SAD leader and former MLA Sarup Chand Singla said he had lodged a complaint regarding illegal mining on government land in Bathinda with Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, acting on which the CMO had directed a probe into the matter