Now Reading: ED raids 11 Punjab properties over illegal industrial plot allotments
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ED raids 11 Punjab properties over illegal industrial plot allotments
The Enforcement Directorate raided 11 properties in Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Ludhiana between August 4-6 in a money laundering probe linked to illegal allotment of industrial plots by the Punjab Small Industries and…
The Story in Brief
The Enforcement Directorate raided 11 properties in Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Ludhiana between August 4-6 in a money laundering probe linked to illegal allotment of industrial plots by the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC). The ED said it acted on a Vigilance Bureau complaint accusing PSIEC officials and private individuals of corruption.
Investigators allege plots were awarded to applicants with no industrial background through fake companies and false addresses in exchange for bribes. The ED seized Rs 12,15,000 in cash and froze bank accounts holding Rs 4.01 crore belonging to two retired PSIEC officials, Surinder Pal Singh and Jaswinder Singh Randhawa. The agency said it also found plots illegally subdivided for residential use or resold through shell firms.
The Indian Opinion
Punjab's industrial land scams follow a familiar script: fake companies, bribes, and a 'zero period' loophole that let allottees delay payments for years. The ED's seizure of Rs 12 lakh cash and freezing of Rs 4 crore in retired officials' accounts is a start, but the real test will be how many of the 11 raided properties lead to chargesheets and convictions. Will the Vigilance Bureau and ED name the political beneficiaries who allegedly facilitated these allotments, or will the trail stop at retired bureaucrats?
Source: newindianexpress.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
