An RTI has revealed that the bills raised to inaugurate the ‘Dastan-e-Shahadat’ theme park in November 2021 by the then Congress government were inflated. However, ex-CM Channi has denied the claims.
Charanjit Singh Channi has accused the AAP government of trying to settle political scores by misusing vigilance bureau against him. (File photo)
By Manjeet Sehgal: Former Chief Minister of Punjab Charanjit Singh Channi and the then team of officials of Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) are on the radar of the state vigilance bureau for alleged diversion of funds worth Rs 1.47 crore. The funds were allegedly misappropriated to pay the bills of Channi’s son’s marriage.
The response to an RTI application filed by a resident of Bathinda has shocked the vigilance bureau officials as the bills raised to inaugurate the ‘Dastan-e-Shahadat’ theme park in November 2021 were inflated.
The complainant had alleged that the rates quoted in the bills for creating stage and entertainment of guests were allegedly 20 to 100 times higher than the market price. The bidding process for the three tenders was suspiciously invited and opened on the same day which was against the norms.
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The RTI information says that a single tea cup and a single lunch pack were supplied at Rs 2000 each. A payment of Rs 97 lakhs for erecting a temporary stage besides the light and sounds was made on a single tender basis.
Besides the alleged misappropriation of funds in the name of ‘Dastan-e-Shahadat’ theme park inauguration, Channi also allegedly spent Rs 38,16,325 on entertaining the guests within a short span of three months when he was chief minister.
Another RTI information has revealed that in 2021-2022, the then Congress government spent over Rs 60,20,816 on parties and guest entertainment out of which Rs 22,04,571 were spent by the Captain Amarinder Singh government.
A buffet dinner bill issued by a Chandigarh-based five-star hotel is also under scanner. The rate per buffet has been quoted at Rs 4,170, for which the hotel charged Rs 20,000 for transporting 60 buffets which came out to be Rs 333 per buffet. India Today called the manager of the concerned hotel who confirmed that the buffet at the hotel was available at Rs 2,460 only.
Charanjit Singh Channi denies the allegations
Reacting to the allegations, Charanjit Singh Channi said he was the target of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government which wanted to settle political scores by misusing the vigilance bureau against him.
“This story is totally baseless and an attempt to defame me. My son got married on October 10, 2021. The inauguration (of Dastan-e-Shahadat’ theme park) took place after one month and 10 days. Hence, the allegations that I funded my son’s marriage by diverting Dastan-e-Shahadat theme park funds are concocted. They should verify the allegations before levelling. If they want to arrest me, they can. Vigilance bureau is trying to implicate me,” said Charanjit Singh Channi.
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Meanwhile, the opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has demanded a probe into the allegations. SAD general secretary and spokesperson Dr Daljit Cheema told India Today that Channi alone cannot be held responsible for the embezzlement as this was also the responsibility of the bureaucrats who were part of his office.
“The allegations are self-explanatory. Those who claimed they were Aam Aadmi (common people) proved it wrong. Both the Congress and AAP leaders claimed they were common people but their acts say they were just pretending. Look, they spent Rs 60 lakhs on a roadshow in Amritsar when Bhagwant Mann was not a CM. The spending on advertisements is also questionable,” said Dr Daljit Singh Cheema.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the vigilance probe was just the beginning and more action would follow after the probe was over.
“This is just a tip of the iceberg. We have just found wrongdoings in tea bills and food. More skeletons will tumble out of the cupboard soon. We will not spare anybody and will recover every penny from them,” said Bhagwant Mann.
NOT SO AAM AADMI AFTER ALL
The Aam Aadmi Party is ruling Punjab for the first time but 63 out of its 92 MLAs are ‘crorepatis’ or millionaires. Twenty four other millionaire MLAs belong to various political parties.
Bhagwant Mann, who moved with a largest ever 42 vehicle cavalcade, was recently trolled for his Gucci Jordaan Crocodile loafers which are priced at nearly Rs 2.90 lakhs.
“The assets owned by Bhagwant Mann are in the public domain. He is the only chief minister of the country whose assets decreased after he became chief minister,” said AAP’s chief spokesperson Malwinder Singh Kang.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, who has time and again claimed that it was not Arvind Kejriwal but he who was a real ‘aam aadmi’ owns assets worth Rs 9.44 crore.
