Bullet-proof steel case: Notice to Centre, CBI and others

Chandigarh, Sep 15 (UNI) A plea demanding a CBI probe into the state-owned Punjab Ex-Servicemen Corporation (PESCO) selling its stock of bullet-proof steel, having a market value of nearly Rs 76 lakh for just Rs five lakh to a New Delhi-based junk dealer, was today filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The petition has been filed by All India Anti Terrorist Front through its Chandigarh unit chief Rajesh Sharma.

The petitioner contended that the 38 metric tonnes of bullet-proof steel having a book value of Rs 20,59,727 was sold to Kultar Singh and Sons, Mayapuri, New Delhi for Rs five lakh including the plant machinery, the total amount of which worked out to be over Rs 65 lakhs, while the collective price of the machinery and steel in the open market was more than Rs one crore, the plea said.

''This was a callous deal which could threaten the security of the country if the bullet-proof material reached the terrorists.

PESCO shut the workshop it was operating for providing bullet-proof vehicles to the state, and sold of the material as junk. The petitioner has also prayed for directions to the Punjab government to enact legislation to govern bullet-proof gear and to follow the Union Home Ministry guidelines in this regard.

The division bench of the acting Chief Justice Harjit Singh Bedi and Justice Ranjit Singh have issued notices for November 6 to the Union Home Ministry, Punjab Chief Secretary, CBI, PESCO chairman Maj Gen (retd) R S Randhawa and to Kultar Singh, proprietor of the New Delhi firm which bought the material at a throwaway price.

UNI XC DP VD DB2057