The much awaited action in the infamous booth allotment scam,which had rocked the city about two years ago,may finally come through,with at least half a dozen allotees set to face the music. With the three-member probe committee recently submitting its inquiry report and recommending action against half a dozen allotments which have been found in violation of the terms and conditions laid down for these allotments,FIRs are also likely to be registered besides the obvious cancellation of these booths in Krishna Market,Sector 41. Insiders say that at least five persons were allotted the booths despite having commercial properties in Panchkula,Mohali and Chandigarh at the time of the allotment. Sources in the Estate Office said that the three-member inquiry committee comprising the DC Brijendra Singh,Assistant Estate Officer Rahul Gupta and Tanvi Garg,probing the infamous scam had found concrete evidence including documents verifying that these allotees got the booths despite having commercial properties in Panchkula,Mohali and Chandigarh at the time of the allotment. Their properties have been confirmed from the records of the GMADA,HUDA and UT Estate Office. However,at the same time,in more than two dozen cases,the inquiry committee is still undetermined on the action as contradictions had been found in the allotment policy and the rules framed thereafter,leaving a lot to be desired. Sources said as per the policy for allotment of booths an applicant had to fulfill some conditions: first,he should not possess any commercial property in his or the name of his family members in the tricity. Second,his income should not be more than Rs 5,000 per month and third,he must possess a rehri licence. Even though,in the allotment policy,there was no such condition that required an allottee to be working at the same place at the time of allotment. However,later,officials of the Estate Office insisted on the condition and the screening committees also relied on the fact. An official requesting anonymity said that the besides these half a dozen cases,the number of allotments to be cancelled could also increase with the probe committee finding other cases which never came to light. The inquiry report of the then ADC PS Shergill,which had blown the lid off the scam,had also found that a bogus survey was carried out in alleged connivance with officials of the Estate Office and police department. Sources said that in the report it was mentioned that certain allottees had got booths on the basis of bogus documents. ADC Sherigill,in his voluminous report,had pointed towards the involvement of top politicians and senior officials,among others,in the scam. The report had stated that the financial dimensions of the fraudulent allotment ran into crores of rupees,including money paid to politicians,police officials and officials of the Estate Office. The Estate Office had done several bogus surveys and inspections,the report had stated. These allotments were made in Sector 41 between 2002 and 2007. The inquiry committee had issued notices to 88 booth allottees in January this year and asked them to file their replies. Timeline Following complaints of irregularities in booth allotments,UT Administrator Shivraj Patil orders magisterial probe by PCS officer P S Shergill in March 2010. 700-page report prepared by Shergill submitted to DC exactly a year later. By end of 2011,Estate Office was asked to probe scam again and showcause notices were issued to 88 beneficiaries whose names were mentioned in Shergills report. Following notices,every beneficiary was given 15 days to file their replies. Each one of them was then given a personal hearing at the Estate Office.
