SAD demands CBI probe into 400 crore sand mining scam of AAP govt
AAP's Punjab chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said, "Mann government is not only taking pro-people decisions but is also unmasking the decades-old loot of common people by governments of traditional parties.
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Majithia also asserted that two mining mafia kingpins — Rakesh Chaudhary and Ashok Chandak — had been given charge of mining in Punjab in an underhand deal with the sole purpose of collecting money for AAP. (Express Photo) Former minister and senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia on Thursday demanded a CBI probe against the AAP government for allegedly indulging in a ‘Rs 400 crore scam in collection of royalty from vehicles carrying sand and gravel into the state besides reviving the contracts of two sand mining mafia kingpins associated with the previous Congress government one month after they had been terminated.’
The AAP called teh allegations “frivolous and baseless”, stating that the Opposition was trying to stop the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab from stopping loot in the state.
Accusing CM Bhagwant Mann of ‘heading the royalty scam in league with AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal’, Majithia in a press conference at Chandigarh on Thursday displayed receipts showing ‘how only a fraction of the Rs 7 per cubic feet loyalty announced by the government on sand was collected by the state government, indicating underhand collection from inter-state vehicles by AAP.’
He also claimed of having ‘exposed how the new mining policy had given the authority to fix royalty on inter-state vehicles to CM’ and asserted that a majority of funds collected on this account were going directly to AAP instead of the state exchequer.
“As many as 2,000 trucks filled with sand and gravel enter Punjab from neighbouring states every day. At least half of the loyalty due from them is being appropriated by AAP,” claimed Majithia.
Majithia also asserted that two mining mafia kingpins — Rakesh Chaudhary and Ashok Chandak — had been given charge of mining in Punjab in an underhand deal with the sole purpose of collecting money for AAP.
He said that after terminating Chaudary’s contract to mine sand in Mohali and Ropar districts on December 21 last year, the AAP government had renewed his contract on January 27 this year by awarding him the same zones.’
“This was done despite four cases being registered against Chaudhary in Ropar district besides a CBI inquiry marked by the high court after the ‘goonda tax ‘ levied by Chaudary was exposed by a chief judicial magistrate in a covert operation,” he said, adding, “The second contractor – Ashok Chandak, who was also close to the Congress high command — had also been issued a termination of his contract on December 21 last year before it was renewed on January 31 last month.’
AAP denies allegations
AAP’s Punjab chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said, “Mann government is not only taking pro-people decisions but is also unmasking the decades-old loot of common people by governments of traditional parties.
Hence, they are now trying to stop him by levelling slanderous allegations.”
Terming Majithia’s allegations as “frivolous and baseless”, Kang said that the AAP government is more stringent than any other previous governments and 84 FIRs have been registered so far against mining mafia.
Another AAP spokesperson Neel Garg said that mining contract to Rakesh Chaudhary was given by previous governments. He said that AAP government has cancelled his contract immediately after forming the government but Chaudhary had taken a stay from high court against the cancellation.
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