- विज्ञापन -
Chandigarh: The government in Punjab have launched an inquiry against two senior IAS officers including Dilraj Singh Sandhawalia and Paramjit Singh for allegedly facilitating the illegal sale of village pathways to a private builder in New Chandigarh.
Official sources said that the sale of these pathways—commonly known as “rastas”—was approved in November 2024 without the required declaration of abandonment by the Director, Consolidation, and the Director, Land Records.
Earlier, the court ordered that the village pathways cannot be sold unless they are officially declared abandoned.
Sources said that Sandhawalia, serving as the Secretary of the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, and Paramjit Singh, the department’s Director, are under scrutiny for their role in approving the transaction.
He also said that the inquiry, led by Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, is nearing completion, with a chargesheet expected to be issued soon. A senior government official indicated that the Vigilance Bureau might also investigate the origins of the sale, initially permitted in 2018 before being stayed by a court.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court ruled in 2021 that pathways could only be sold if declared abandoned, yet the sale proceeded in 2024 despite this ruling.
Offcial sources also said that despite repeated attempts, both Sandhawalia and Paramjit Singh have remained unavailable for comment.
