SAD demands independent probe into confidants of CM’s OSD for collecting money from builders besides running illegal sand mining and liquor rackets.

SAD demands independent probe into confidants of CM’s OSD for collecting money from builders besides running illegal sand mining and liquor rackets.

(Reacting to ED raid which led to bagfuls of money being thrown from a 9th floor flat, Bikram S Majithia demands search of premises of OSD Rajbir Ghuman and his associates besides probe into their ‘hawala’ transactions)

Chandigarh 7 May ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today demanded an independent probe into the manner in which confidants of chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s OSD – Rajbir Ghuman had collected money from builders besides running illegal sand mining and liquor rackets. Asserting that the manner in which the confidants of the chief minister’s OSD had thrown bagfuls of money in the air after their ninth floor apartment was raided by the Enforcement Directorate had blown the lid off the loot of Punjab and its resources, senior leader Bikram Singh Majithia said only a thorough probe could uncover the kingpins behind these rackets.

Bikram Majithia said the chief minister’s OSD and his associates along with senior officers were involved in acquiring land for cheap from farmers and selling off the same to builders for kickbacks. He said besides this, members of this gang were also guilty of allowing illegal sand mining to be done on multiple lots without any sort of clearance besides overseeing the plying of thousands of trucks to facilitate the racket. “These same persons are also involved in running a liquor mafia dealing with illegal liquor”. The SAD leader said the persons whom the ED had raided today were Nitin Gohal, Birdevinder Singh and Pritpal Dhindsa who were close associates of the CM’s OSD Rajbir Ghuman. “All the three persons are joined to the hip with Rajbir Ghuman and even use each other’s cars, phones, homes and offices”.

Asserting that the money being looted from Punjab in this manner was being parked in Australia and Canada by conducting ‘hawala’ transactions, Majithia said “it is clear that Rajbir Ghuman is the kingpin of this racket. Rajbir has amassed so much wealth that he has built a bunker inside his home in Gharachon village. The OSD’s residence as well as all his properties as well as those of his aides should be searched to recover their ill gotten wealth”. Majithia also demanded that a look out notice should be issued against the OSD and his associates so that they did not flee the country.

Majithia also demanded that the financial status of Rajbir and his associates should be probed to ascertain how persons who did not have scooters earlier were now driving Land Cruisers. He said the charge that these persons were indulging in ‘hawala’ transactions on behalf of the chief minister and AAP should also be probed. “The probe should also go into the properties and land purchased in Australia and other countries through these transactions”, he added.