Ludhiana City Centre scam: Decision on ex-SSP's plea expected on Aug 8

A court here may decide next Wednesday whether to hear a former Vigilance Bureau SSP before accepting the closure report filed by the same department in an corruption case in which current chief minister Amarinder Singh is among the accused.

The case, alleging that a private builder was favoured during Singh's previous term as CM, was filed in 2007 when the SAD-BJP government was in power.

But last year, the Vigilance Bureau filed a closure report, saying its reinvestigation of the alleged Rs 11,000-crore Ludhiana City Centre scam found nothing to substantiate the charges.

Former SSP K S Sandhu has pleaded with the court to hear him before accepting the bureau's closure report.

District and Sessions Judge Gurbir Singh today set the next hearing for August 8, when the ruling on acceptance or rejection of the ex-SSP's plea is expected.

The former SSP's counsel argued that the preliminary inquiry in the case was conducted by him, and an FIR registered after a thorough probe.

But public prosecutor Vijay Singla argued that Sandhu had merely signed the FIR by virtue of being the then SSP, and as an outsider had no legal right to intervene in the case at this stage.

The Vigilance Bureau's closure report was filed on August 19 last year.

Overruling its 100-page charge sheet filed initially, the bureau argued that no proof has been found against Amarinder Singh, his son Raninder Singh, son-in-law Raminder Singh and 33 others following a reinvestigation.

It said there was no scam at all.

But the former SSP said in his plea that as a key investigator in the case he is privy to certain important facts" which he wants to bring to the notice of the court.

He has also alleged there is a threat to his "life and liberty".

The FIR had alleged that during Amarinder Singh's first stint as the CM, a Delhi-based company Today Homes was favoured in 2003 for executing the Ludhiana City Centre project.

The case had been filed under the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act. Out of the 36 accused in the case, four have died.

Touted as one of the biggest projects in the state, the City Centre plan was rolled out in 2006.

The complex was supposed to have shopping malls, multiplexes, apartments and a helipad.