HC pulls up Punjab for ‘double standards’ in probing usurping of shamlat,public lands

The tribunal was set up after the high court was not “convinced with the investigation done by the Punjab Police” to probe the illegal properties owned by its high-ups in the city’s periphery.

Questioning the rationale and motive behind this dual approach,a division bench today came down heavily on the Punjab government. Asking as to whether the state government did not have faith in the findings given by the tribunal,the high court questioned the real intention behind setting up a state level committee to “probe” the matter.

The high court gave the state two weeks time to file an affidavit explaining as to whether any such committee has been constituted by it and if it has been,the state will have to explain the rationale behind it.

The extended tenure of the judicial tribunal had come to an end on July 13 this year. The tribunal had submitted a report blaming the Punjab government for being a “mute witness” to the “land grab scandal” being operated in city’s periphery. The tibunal had also indicted a former director general of police (DGP) of Punjab and accused gram panchayats of actively colluding with land mafia to usurp shamlat land.

During the last hearing,the high court had not given further extension to the tribunal and had rather asked Punjab to expedite the hearing of its special leave petition in the Supreme Court. Challenging the High Court orders,Punjab had moved the apex court this year against the judicial tribunal. The appeal is hanging fire. The tribunal was given a four-month extension in March this year,after its term had ended. Beside Justice (retd) Kuldip Singh,the tribunal comprised advocate P N Aggarwal and Babu Ram Gupta.

In its report,the tribunal had highlighted several instances of land grab and the collusive participation of the government authorities in grabbing valuable land. Significantly,the tribunal had revealed the illegal orders passed by the civil courts facilitating unauthorised possession of land.