A four-member probe panel, inquiring into an alleged irregularity in the allotment of five marla plots to nine beneficiaries in Punjab Speaker Rana K P Singh’s native village, Khatana, has found no irregularity in their report.The report is likely to be submitted to Ropar Deputy Commissioner (DC) Gurneet Tej who had formed the panel, headed by ADC (Development). Chamkaur Sahib Sub-divisional Magistrate Ruhee Dugg, a members of the panel, on Friday said the beneficiaries were found to be eligible for the plots under the scheme as they “belonged to the village only”. “It is a preliminary report and verification of the documents given by the beneficiaries will be done. If the DC issues any further directions, needful will be done,” she said. The complainant, an Akali leader of the village, Chuhar Singh, had alleged that the beneficiaries of the scheme — six of them living in Speaker Singh’s property —were “outsiders” and that the allotment of the plots under a Punjab government scheme was aimed at gaining political mileage in the upcoming panchayat polls. Among the six beneficiaries are brothers Bhupinder and Satnam Singh who stay in the farms of Rana and four members of one Sharif Mohammad’s family who stay in another property of the Speaker. Chuhar had also alleged that three beneficiaries hailed from other states. Ropar ADC (D) Amardeep Singh Gujral said the beneficiaries are living in the village for long and have submitted proofs like ration cards, voter cards, identity cards and Aadhaar cards. “During an inquiry today (Friday), the villagers told us that they were residents of the village. Among the beneficiaries are the persons who had first come to Tibba Taprian village and then to this (Khatana) village from states like Bihar,” said Gujaral. He added as per the eligibility criteria under the scheme, they were entitled to get the plots. “The criteria is that the person should be a resident of the village, over 18 years of age, besides being landless and homeless. Hence there is no irregularity in the allotments.”
