Illegal sand Mining: Punjab govt orders ED, vigilance probe against ex-Speaker, he says ‘vendetta’

An official note in which Bains ordered inquiries against Rana K P Singh refers to a letter of the CBI to Punjab chief secretary on July 8, 2021, for “taking action in which the CBI forwarded a complaint along with original documents alleging that Rana K P Singh is involved in illegal mining worth thousands of crores by misusing his position as Speaker”.

“The said file was suppressed and no investigation was done at all, only letters to various departments with ‘subject: Regarding the Illegal Mining worth thousands of crores done by KP Rana, Speaker of Punjab’ were issued, and the file kept moving from one department to another, but no action was taken,” reads the note.

“The matter was brought to the notice of the mining minister, who on April 25, 2022, ordered ‘an inquiry be conducted on the received complaint and action be taken as per law’,” the note read, adding that “Preliminary investigations reveal that monthly collection to the tune of lakhs from crushers of Ropar and Anandpur Sahib area was taken as protection money by henchmen of Rana K P, names of who are being disclosed by officers of Mining Department in their statement. Preliminary investigations also reveal that many crushers were being operated in Anandpur Sahib area by close relatives of Rana K P and properties to the tune of crores have been purchased through that money by Rana K P and his relatives which also include a house in Sector 7-C Chandigarh and in order to purchase that, private interest-free loan to the tune of crores was taken from various individuals which prima facie is a case of converting black money into white.”

It also read, “In another case which needs investigation, land was purchased at a low rate and later sold at high rates with the involvement of a police officer who was then posted as SHO at a police station in Roopnagar. Other properties such as resorts have been made through this money and by violating norms, and companies carrying out various development works were forced to purchase material from selected crusher owners at high rates.”

“This is a serious issue involving loot of thousands of crores through illegal mining. Hence, a joint committee comprising senior officials of the Mining Department and members of ED Mining be formed for further investigation. Also the matter be sent to Vigilance Bureau to conduct a parallel independent probe,” read the note.

Hitting back at Bains, Rana urged Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann to order a CBI probe into the mining activities done in the last five years, including during the past six months of AAP government after Bains took over as mining minister. Rana demanded that “since Bains himself was under the HC and Governor scanner for illegal sand mining, which is going on, he (Bains) should be removed till probe is completed”.

Punjab Congress leaders, including CLP leader Partap Singh Bajwa, PPCC chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, former deputy chief ministers O P Soni and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, former ministers Sukhbinder Singh Sukh Sarkaria and Aruna Chaudhary and MPs Santokh Chaudhary and Dr Amar Singh, rallied behind Rana as he addressed a press meet on Wednesday. Bajwa and Warring condemned AAP government for its “sustained and malicious campaign against its leaders” saying, “the Congress doesn’t need any certificate from anyone”.

Rana questioned “the moral authority of the mining minister” saying he (Bains) had “a vested interest and a personal grudge against him since he had fought elections against him from Anandpur Sahib”.

Also, he added, “after the HC stayed the mining policy and observed that no tenders be floated without its nod and the observations made by Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Bains had no moral authority to continue as minister”.

In case his demand is not met, he will “approach the court as he will not allow his image and reputation of 40 years of public service to be maligned and tarnished like that”, Rana added. “Enough is enough,” he said, adding that he will “fight this political vendetta till the end”.