Jail doesn’t end accused’s ‘land scam’

Farmer Baldev Singh says he bought 60 acres by paying Rs 3 lakh through Krishan Lal, Syal’s associate.

He says Krishan Lal had assured him the government and the court cannot take over this land. ‘‘Now we learn the court has issued some order regarding this,’’ says a worried Baldev Singh.

Bawa Singh adds that Krishan Lal was instrumental in leasing out land and had got the receipt signed by Syal in jail.

There are several others like Bawa and Baldev. But, Krishan Lal maintains land was leased out till last year. ‘‘The government had declared huge land possessed by GFIL as surplus and proceedings are on to take over. That’s why I did not effect any deal,’’ he says.

He also claims he has disassociated himself from Syal. Syal’s son Nikhil, meanwhile, argues that there is no ban on leasing out the land. ‘‘The money collected was used for paying the GFIL staff and running our headquarters,’’ he says, adding that they would return the farmers’ money.

The man managing the restaurant at GFIL Secretariat at Jharmari village near Lalru says: ‘‘Terminal-22 was leased out by the GFIL. So was Drive-In 22, our sister concern…The deal was struck in crores.”