Punjab: Power Minister's former cook bags Rs 26 crore sand mine bid

The cook of Punjab Irrigation and Power Minister Rana Gurjeet Singh bagged a mining deal worth Rs 26.51 crore on Friday during the recent e-auction making him the owner of one of the most expensive sand and gravel mines in the state. A week ago, a two-day e-auction of sand mines in Punjab culminated with bids worth Rs. 1,026 crore secured for 89 mines, the highest ever earnings for the state from sand mining sector.

Singh's other employees were also featured in the list of 89 successful bidders.

According to NDTV, Amil Bahadur, who is a resident of Bilari in Moradabad made the winning bid of Rs 26 crore for sand mining rights at a recent auction. He was wroking as a personal cook for years in Singh's company and his monthly earning was not more than 10,000 per month. However luck seemed smiled on him and overnight he became the owner of a Rs 26 crore quarry in Saidpur Khurd village in Nawabshehar district. Amit, somehow managed to deposit the first installment of Rs 13.34 crore on May 21 to mine at the Saidpur Khurd site in Nawanshahr, raising eyebrows of many who suspect Rana Gurjit's role behind it.

However, the opposition on the other hand demanded sacking of the state irrigation and power minister while the SAD and the BJP demanded a probe into the matter.

Meanwhile, Singh clarified that neither he nor his company - Rana Sugars Limited - has any links with sand mining business and termed as "incorrect" the reports in a section of the media which claimed that two of his company employees had successfully bid for sand mines. He said the employees in question had left their jobs a long time ago, which can be verified from the company's records.

OneIndia News