Bathinda Land scam

Bhagat requested the court that he be heard before initiation of any criminal proceedings against him. Asking the investigating agency to respond to Bhagat’s application by April 23,the court issued notices to the CBI.

It may be noted that the CBI had,in January,submitted an inquiry report in the court recommending registration of an FIR against 15 persons in a case of favouritism by Punjab to politically influential persons by acquiring their land (around 247 kanals) in Bathinda in 2010 at a very high price for a solid waste dumping yard. The contents of the report,submitted in a sealed packet,have till not been made public. According to Bhagat,he learnt about his indictment from sources. The CBI had recommended registration of FIR on a PIL filed by residents of Mandi Khurd village in Bathinda.

Bhagat told the court that he was posted as Commissioner,Municipal Corporation,Bathinda from August 2009 to February 2011,when the alleged land scam took place. He said that he is aggrieved as he has been “indicted for forwarding the proposal recommending acquisition of the land.”