CHANDIGARH: The former Punjab Chief Minister, Mr, Beant Singh, and two of his confidantes occupying important positions in the then dispensation have come under a cloud with a leading business house alleging that their company was forced to cough up sum of Rs 2.06 crore under duress.

Following complaints, the Punjab Nigilance Bureau has completed a preliminary investigation into the al Legations and submitted its 15-page report to the Brar government recently. The report while inter alia indicating that Punjab Pollution Control Board officials had caused harassment to the ‘group, has sought more time to establish the role played by different bureaucrat’s in the murky case. The bureau was given three weeks’ times to submit its preliminary report.

The Chairman of the Shreyans Paper Mills Limited, Mr. Darshan Kumar Oswal, said that the then government had directed the Punjab State Electricity Board to disconnect power supply to the Shreyans Paper Mill, Ahmedgarah on the plea that it was “not fulfilling the pollution’ control specifications and was releasing affluents in the Sirhind feeder.

However, Mr. Oswal, the chairman and Mr, Anil Kumar, Executive Director of Shreyans, in an interview alleged that tie then Chief Secretary, Mr, Ajit Singh Chatha, personal he told them to make payments to the tune of Rs2.06 crore, including interest to the Indian Acrylic Limited situated near Sangrur.

The Oswals alleged that their sister concern Airhant Textiles had purchased acrylic worth Rs 1.75 crore from the company which was found to be substandard, Arihant Textiles requested the Sangrur firm to take back its supplies and simultaneously stopped the payment.  Mr. Oswal has gone on record stating that Mr, Chatha had personally told uhem that the power supply to the Ahmedgarh mill would remain disconnected till the payment was made to the Indian Acrylics, The power was disconnected on November 7, 1 7, 1994 and was restored on November 19 after the Oswals buckled under pressure and agreed to make the payment. He has reportedly even given an affidavit to the government.

Mr. Chatha when contacted denied his involvement in the “deal.” He said that he was neither heading the PSEB or the PPCB and since both were statutory bodies, they took their own. independent decisions. Mr, Chatha also scoffed at the allegations made by the Executive Director of the Shreyans, Mr. Anil Kumar, that he had benami shares in the Indian Acrylics Limited, “Not a single penny has been invested by me or in the name of my relatives in the Sangrur form.” Mr. Chatha stressed. The chief promoter of the Indian Acrylics, Mr.R.K. Garg, said that during the entire period of six to eight months while supplies of acrylic fiber were being made to Arihant Textiles no complaints vis-a-vis its quality were made, The court was subsequently approached to seek winding up of the Arihant mill as it was unable to honor its debts. He denied using any government offices to procure the payments.

However, Mr. Oswal revealed that the first payment of Rs 35 Lakh drawn on the State Bank of Pauala through a check following which the power supplies was restored. A total of five checks ‘were paid to clear the pending dues, headed, He said that a part of “agreement” was struck in the house of a former Punjab minister.

Article extracted from this publication >>  January 17, 1996