M A I N   N E W S

Langah’s assets of 12.60 cr ‘uncovered’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 18
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau that booked former Akali minister for PWD Sucha Singh Langah on May 16 under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and other sections of the IPC, today released a list of assets, in his own and family’s name as well as “benami’’, disproportionate to his known sources of income that total up to Rs 12.60 crore.

The Airport Authority of India has been alerted against the possible escape by Mr Langah. The Vigilance has detected that he had fraudulently procured a passport from the Regional Passport Office, Chandigarh, by “concocting facts’’ in 1998, while, he was refused a passport by the Jalandhar Regional Passport Office in 1992. The reason for the refusal was that he was listed on PAL (Prior Approval List) of the Government of India containing names of “bad characters’’. His present passport bears the number A5091353. A separate investigation is under way, as to how he obtained the passport from Chandigarh.

Another interesting aspect of the life of Mr Langah is the disclosure by the Vigilance that he had “anti-social leanings’’ and was declared a “history sheeter’’ in 1972. His history-sheet, No. 2-A is in the Sadar police station, Gurdaspur. Even after becoming a minister in the Badal government, his history-sheet was on the live registers till September 10, 2000. But in view of his status as minister, the history-sheet was converted into “personal file’’.

The Vigilance press note also states that in 2001 he had developed relations with the “Khalistan Commando Force”, headed by Wassan Singh Zaffarwal, a known hardcore terrorist. Mr Langah was instrumental in the “surrender’’ of Zaffarwal, as he had also given him shelter at his official residence, as a minister, in Sector 39, Chandigarh. As such, he was again placed in the list of ‘’bad character-A’’.

Given below are the details of the properties released by the Vigilance Bureau:

He has land at Purewal Jatana, Kalyanpur, Ranian, Fateh Nangal etc in the names of his family, wife, sons and daughters through various sale deed. The total land is 35 acres. The official price is around Rs 1 crore, whereas the market price is Rs 5 crore.

Referring to the Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College Trust, Kalanaur (Gurdaspur), the Vigilance Bureau says a society was formed by Mr Langah and he was the Chairman, whereas Mr Amrik Singh, a resident of Mohali, was the secretary. Other members of the society were his own family members. He purchased land from the Improvement Trust worth Rs 40 lakh.

His wife, Harbhajan Kaur, floated the Khalsa Warehouse Pvt Ltd for the construction of warehouse godowns in agreement with the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation. The total construction cost of these is put at Rs 3 crore.

Mr Langah also purchased a one-acre industrial plot in the name of his wife in Mohali. The official price is Rs 30 lakh, while the market price is put at Rs 40 lakh.

Among ‘benami’’ properties, it is said he purchased a 1.60-acre plot in Mohali in the name of his close associate Subhash Chander Jain of Ludhiana for a hospital. The market price of the plot is Rs 1.25 crore.

Mr Langah also purchased around 80 acres of land at Sukrate village of Gurdaspur in collaboration with the same associates of Ludhiana. It is worth Rs 25 lakh. He also had property worth Rs 25 lakh in Babowal. He has a fleet of eight buses in the name of his PA, Jasbir Singh, brother-in-law and others. The cost of the buses is Rs 80 lakh. He is also running tippers and JCB machines worth Rs 1 crore. He owns four private vehicles ranging from a Tata Safari to an Ambassador, a Balero and Lancer worth Rs 25 lakh.

The Vigilance Bureau’s press note also says that Mr Langah has shares in distillery and liquor trade, has purchased land at Mehrauli near Delhi and in UP and has shares in shipping companies. He is said to have locked up money in different lockers of different banks.

He was a close confidant of Mr Parkash Singh Badal. As an Akali leader, he was President of the SAD, Gurdaspur, a member of the SGPC, an MLA and a minister. Mr Langah has already obtained anticipatory bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court apprehending arrest.

Raids on aide’s houses
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 18
The Economic Offences Wing of the Vigilance Bureau has reportedly raided two premises belonging to senior Akali leader Gurcharan Singh Channi, general secretary of the district unit of the SAD, said to be close to former ministers Sucha Singh Langah and Sewa Singh Sekhwan.

Though bureau officials denied that any raids were conducted, sources in the SAD and the district police said simultaneous raids were conducted on the residential premises of Mr Channi, where the SAD had set up its state election office during the recent Assembly elections.

The sources said a raid was conducted at the Cool Road residence of Mr Channi, besides a raid at Nakodar Chowk. Raids were also said to have been conducted at some other SAD-BJP leaders.

The Vigilance Bureau was probing Mr Channi’s alleged links with Mr Langah, who has been booked on graft charge. Mr Channi, it was learnt, was taken by the team to Chandigarh.