Tarn Taran administration has been conducting an inquiry into the alleged embezzlement of village grants through a company that deals in animal feed and is linked to an Aam Aadmi Party leader, Ranjit Singh Cheema, Chairman of Water Resources Management and Development, Punjab. Ranjit Singh Cheema’s brother, Baljeet Singh, owns a company called Cowberry AGROVET OPC Private Limited. The main work of this company is in animal feed. However, the company has been carrying out development works such as making pavements, installing water coolers, and other works in the villages of Tarn Taran. The firm also provides services to other government departments. Cowberry owner Baljit Singh told The Indian Express that he enjoyed good relations with Khadoor Sahib MLA Manjinder Singh Lalpura. He claimed that his brother and the MLA have nothing to do with his company getting orders from the Panchayat department for development works in Tarn Taran villages. According to papers with The Indian Express, the company executed more than ₹85 lakh worth of development works for the Panchayat department between June and August this year. Baljit Singh said that he has also been working on contract for the Water Resources Management and Development, where his brother is chairman. Ranjit Singh became chairman in 2022, whereas Baljit Singh was enlisted as a contractor in the same department in 2023. So far, the district administration has only been looking into the development works that Cowberry executed for the Panchayat Department. According to papers, the address of this company is Hari Nau Road, Kotkapura, district Faridkot, and now its current location is Khasra Number 143, Kot Buddha Road, Chima Kalan Patti, district Tarn Taran. However, neither location shows any signs of a factory. According to complainant Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, “Khasra Number 143, 12 marlas of land in village Chima Kalan, is an empty plot, and there has been no factory.” He said, “This company has embezzled lakhs of rupees from the grants of Khadoor Sahib block, Tarn Taran, and Chohla Sahib. This company is registered under GST code 190410, 17, 09, 1905, 2309, under which it cannot undertake interlocking tile, cement, sand, gravel, water cooler, or labor work. Lakhs of rupees from the village grants have been transferred to this company, which had no GST to make purchases for civil works. The company amended its GST on September 10, days after I lodged a complaint against it.” “My private limited firm was registered in 2020. Our main work is producing animal nutrition. I am also a contractor with the Water Resources Department. Our development work is legal, and we have completed all the legalities to carry out these development works,” said Baljeet Singh to The Indian Express. “We also provide groceries to government departments based on tenders. We also execute work in MNREGA. I have a good relationship with MLA Manjinder Singh Lalpura. I wouldn’t do anything that would hurt his reputation,” he said. “Our cow nutrition work is based in Moga,” he said, explaining why the given address of the firm is empty. “Now we are also in construction work. I can carry out up to ₹2.50 crore worth of development works related to the Water Resources Management Department after amending the GST accordingly in 2022,” he said. “The Panchayat department demands quotations, and we have to secure these quotations through competition,” he said. Tarn Taran Additional Deputy Commissioner Varinder Pal Singh Bajwa said, “We have received the complaint and are conducting an inquiry into the allegations.” When asked if anyone can get tenders for development works in Punjab irrespective of experience in the related field, he said, “There must be norms. We will look into it.”
