Booth Mafia

A probe report on the allotment of shop spaces in Chandigarh names Union Minister Pawan Bansal,the local MP.<b>Varinder Bhatia</b>explains the controversy.

How did it begin?
On May 23,1989,a rehri market in Sector 22-D caught fire. In 2007,90 booths,or shop spaces,each worth around Rs 80 lakh,in Sector 41 were allotted. Among the recipients were many who allegedly had no stake in the market but who had become eligible by getting hawkers licences made in their names. Many who had actually lost their shops missed out. They approached UT Administrator Shivraj V Patil,who on March 20,2010,ordered a magisterial inquiry headed by P S Shergill .

What did the probe find?
What: The probe report says UT Estate Office officials bypassed verification and paved the way for false allotments for monetary considerations. The financial dimension of the fraud runs into crores of rupees,which include the money paid to officers/officials of the Estate Office,Chandigarh Police,funds given to politicians and money generated to illegal sale and subletting of booths, it says.

Who: The report recommends a criminal case against six officers of Chandigarh Police and eight of UT Estate Office. It calls former mayor Pradeep Chhabra a member of the booth mafia and calls for a CBI probe into the possible roles of local MP Pawan Kumar Bansal,mayor Chhabra,adviser to the UT administrator Pradeep Mehra and others. The report recommended that the CBI identify and prosecute those allotted booths illegally.

Why is Bansal named?
The Union Minister is named several times. The booth mafia has the protection of Pawan Kumar Bansal, the report says.

What is Mehras alleged role?
He allegedly let off two police officers against whom action had been recommended by the inquiry officer and subsequently by UT Deputy Commissioner Brijendra Singh and Home Secretary Ram Niwas. The report says Mehra took the soft view under the influence of Inspector General of Police P K Srivastava and then Senior Superintendent of Police S S Srivastava. Shergills report also mentions a call from Mehra: The adviser told me that Pawan Kumar Bansal was inquiring about the case. At that stage,I came to know that.. illegal allottees had the protection of the minister.

What happens now?
It is up to the Administrator to act on the panels recommendations.