PSIEC plot rip-off comes beneath ED lens
Rajmeet Singh
Chandigarh, February 9
The Punjab Small Industries & Export Company (PSIEC) plot allotment rip-off has come beneath the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The Vigilance Bureau (VB) is already investigating the matter, other than registering a prison case in opposition to company officers in reference to the bifurcation of a 25-acre industrial plot for setting Gulmohar Township in Mohali.
The ED, in its communication to the Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce, and the Managing Director, PSIEC, had sought particulars of the commercial plots allotted since 2012, particulars of inquiry performed by the company or every other enforcement company together with any FIR registered within the matter.
The VB can be probing into the lacking official doc whereby then CM Capt Amarinder Singh had — in 2019 — ordered the formation of a three-member committee to probe the complicity of the PSIEC.
Within the doc, the previous CM had sought to look at findings of the VB that had requested for permission from the PSIEC MD to e book six company officers for his or her alleged position within the allotment of commercial plots to their kin and acquaintances.
Sources within the authorities mentioned resulting from sensitivity of the matter and ED being a central company, the Division of Industries and Commerce has referred the matter to the Chief Secretary for needed orders.
The VB probe into the commercial plot allotment case has seen quite a lot of heartburning between the state enforcement company and the state forms over naming of IAS officer Neelima within the bifurcation case. The officer was posted because the Managing Director (MD) of the PSIEC when the bifurcation of the plot was allowed to an actual property developer.
The IAS Officers’ Affiliation had been up in arms in opposition to the registration of an FIR in opposition to the officer.
With an “assurance” that she wouldn’t be arrested, the IAS officer is anticipated to look earlier than VB sleuths over the alleged irregularities within the bifurcation of plots. The PSIEC — in its reply to the state authorities and VB — had categorically acknowledged that the property is a freehold non-public property and that the federal government has no proper on it apart from monitoring that the property is used for industrial goal and to see that it follows the property administration guidelines.