Rs 26-cr mine: I-T returns belie cook’s hefty bid

Chandigarh : The income tax returns (2015-16) filed by Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh’s cook Amit Bahadur – who bagged a Rs 26-crore contract for a mine during the recent e-auction – show that he had an annual income of Rs 92,680.
As per documents submitted by him to the Department of Commerce and Industry when he took part in the bidding, he had a bank balance of Rs 4,840 till last month.
At a press conference here today, AAP MLA Sukhpal Khaira said Bahadur’s I-T returns for the past three years showed that his annual income had remained below Rs 1 lakh. He said Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh should explain how a low-paid employee was able to bag a mine worth Rs 26 crore.“The case demands a thorough investigation of the money trail. I’m sure it will be linked to Rana Gurjit,” he alleged. Khaira said he would send a complaint to the Income Tax Department.
Four employees of Rana Sugars had bagged mining contracts — Amit Bahadur (Saidpur Khurd quarry in Nawanshahr, Rs 26.51 crore); Deputy General Manager Kulwinder Paul Singh (Mehadipur quarry, Rs 9.21 crore); Gurinder Singh (Rampur Kalan quarry in Mohali, Rs 4.11 crore); and Balraj Singh (Bairsal quarry, Rs 10.58 crore). Balraj had later opted out.