Problem a plenty for Badals

HC keeping check on relief, job offer to Moga victim’s kin

Just about a month after a 13-year-old girl died after her alleged molesters threw her off a bus owned by Orbit Aviation, the Punjab and Haryana High Court asked the State of Punjab to explain whether the compensation to the victim’s family was paid by the state or the transport company. The State was also questioned on the assurance of job to the victim’s family.

Justice Hemant Gupta asked state Advocate-General Ashok Aggarwal to elaborate on the source of compensation and on job assurance. Responding to the query, Aggarwal read out excerpts from an affidavit filed by Moga Senior Superintendent of police in a related case. Aggarwal said an ex gratia amount of Rs 24 lakh has been disbursed to the family after receiving the amount from Orbit Aviation.In addition, Rs 3.75 lakh and Rs 1.8 lakh has been given on directions from the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. A total of Rs 29.55 lakh has been disbursed to the family till date. Taking a note of the assertion, the Bench fixed July 30 as the next date of hearing in the matter.

In yet another twist to the controversy over Badals’ resort, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has  issued a notice of motion to the State of Punjab for impleading the Chief Minister as a party in the case. A notice of motion has also been issued to the Punjab Urban Development and Planning Authority.

The controversy hovers around a chunk of land leading to a resort in New Chandigarh which is partly owned by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife, Union minister Harsimrat Kaur. The land was acquired by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority. The matter was brought to the High Court’s notice by Dr Juveeza Chadha. In his petition, Dr Chadha had alleged that the land acquisition process was carried out in a hurried manner without following the requisite provisions of law.He had also told the court that the 100-feet-wide and 1.3-km-long road was being laid through Majra village. Metro Eco Green Resorts at Palanpur village was located just about 2 km from where this road was to end, he had said.

The petitioner alleged that the requisite 60 days’ time to file objections was not given. He also questioned how Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal presided over the meetings to clear such a project, to which the government counsel raised objections.