Former Markfed Chairman arrested by Vigilance Bureau

Former Markfed Chairman arrested by Vigilance Bureau

Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ September 30,2023

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Saturday arrested Jarnail Singh Wahad, Managing Director Wahad-Sandhar Sugar Mills Limited Phagwara, his wife Rupinder Kaur Wahad,  Director and his son Sandeep Singh Wahad, Director Wahad Sandhar Sugar Mill Limited Phagwara and Director Sugar Mill Plaza Private Limited, Phagwara, District Kapurthala after finding them guilty for misappropriating government land of sugar mill Phagwara and causing financial loss to the state government.

Jarnail Singh Wahid, a veteran Akali leader was appointed as chairman of Asia’s largest cooperative, Punjab Markfed by Parkash Singh Badal led SAD-BJP govt in 2008.

Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the VB said an Inquiry No. 04/2019 was conducted against the Managing Director, Directors, Additional Director, etc. of Jagatjit Sugar Mills Company Limited, Wahad Sandhar Sugars Limited Phagwara, Sugar Mill Plaza Pvt. By the Bureau. it has been found during the investigation that Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of State Kapurthala with his order agreement dated 09.02.1933 allotted sugar mill industry in his State to develop Jagatjit Sugar Mills Company Limited. For running this mill he allotted 251 kanals 18 marles (31 acres 03 kanals 18 marlas) land free of charge as a waiver land whose ownership rights were given to Jagatjit Singh Sugar Mills Company Limited with conditions. As per point No. 1 and 8 of the order/agreement dated 09.02.1933, this land belongs to the State and cannot be sold or mortgaged further. If the sugar mill is closed, the land would revert to the state without any compensation. The company can set up mills to manufacture sugar industry and any of its bio products. The company may, with the approval of the Government, transfer its rights to any other company, corporation or person connected with the sugar industry, not objecting to the merger, but the same shall be intimated to the Government.

It was also found that Oswal Agro Mills Limited, Phagwara, which was running Jagatjit Singh Sugar Mills Company Limited, Phagwara, had entered into an MoU with Ms. Wahad Sandhar Sugars Limited, Phagwara on 18.10.2000 and gave all rights to them. Subsequently, Jagatjit Sugar Mill Company Ltd. Phagwara and directors of Wahad Sandhar Sugars Ltd. Phagwara, in  connivance with, acquired the mill and land from Jagatjit Sugar Mills Company Ltd., Phagwara for 99 years lease without obtaining the approval of the Government. As per point No. 4 (D) (A) of this registered lease deed M/s. Wahad Sandhar Sugars Limited Phagwara can mortgage the property to any bank and financial institution for taking loan, in which Jagatjit Sugar Mills Limited Company has no objection. This lease deed was not entered in the revenue record so that the bank and the government could be cheated while taking loans etc. On the basis of this lease deed document, the land of Jagatjit Sugar Mills Company Limited, Phagwara, which is government land, having an area of ​​251 kanals and 18 marles and worth Rs 93.94 crores to which Wahad Sandhar Sugars Ltd. pledged as a guarantee of a loan with this government land and has got illegal financial gain. After this directors of Wahad Sandhar Sugars Limited has formed a new company named Sugar Mill Plaza Private Limited, GT Road Phagwara which was registered in the year 2010-11. In the year 2013-14 with the connivance of the said directors, nother company named M/s WS Fitness Private Limited, opposite PSEB Office, Banga Road, Phagwara was also registered, the directors of which in mutual connivance sold the government land area 6 kanal 4 marles on 11.04.2017 sold and area 251 kanal 18 marlas mortgaged to State Bank of India, Industrial Finance Branch, Dholewal Chowk, Ludhiana, thereby caused undue financial gain to himself and has caused financial loss to the Government and misappropriated the Government land and defrauding with the Government by using the registered mortgage dated 30.05.2019.

M/s Wahad Sandhar Sugars Limited, Phagwara, the operating company of Jagatjit Sugar Mills Company Limited, Phagwara, had in the year 2013 got a decree from the court in a Civil Suit 11 of 2009 before the Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division), Phagwara by hiding the real facts.

Similarly, the registration of government land area measuring 6 kanal 4 marle owned by Jagatjit Sugar Mills Co. Ltd. Phagwara was done by the then Revenue Department officials in violation of Section 135 of the Punjab Registration Manual 1929, in criminal conspiracy with the directors of the mill  knowing that it is government land and cannot be pledged to the bank. The revenue officials in a criminal conspiracy has registered this land in favor of State Bank of India Ludhiana. In the year 1973, the management of the mill tried to sell a part of the land of the mill by making a plot (surplus land), in this regard, the then Deputy Secretary of the Revenue Department of Punjab issued a letter to the Deputy Commissioner Kapurthala prohibiting the sale of the land.

The spokesperson further added that during the probe has found that Jagatjit Sugar Mills Co. Ltd. Phagwara, Wahad Sandhar Sugars Ltd. Phagwara Sugar Mill Plaza Pvt. Ltd. G.T. Road Phagwara and others have committed the crime in connivance with each other.

In view of the above facts, the Vigilance Bureau registered FIR No. 26 dated 30.09.2023 under sections 166, 177, 210, 406, 409, 418, 420, 120-B-IPC. and section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act Vigilance Bureau, police station Jalandhar range. The accused would be produced in the competent court tomorrow on 01.10.2023.

During the investigation, it has come to light that the accused Sandeep Singh Wahad had shifted abroad during and returned to India from England some time ago. All the ill gotten money transferred to foreign countries by looting the hard-earned money of the common people and farmers due for payments would also be recovered. It is also worth mentioning here that the accused Jarnail Singh Wahad is a member of the advisory committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal party and was also the former chairman Markfed during the Akali Dal government.

Wahid Sandhar Sugar Mills Deceives Over 600 Farmers, Accumulates Rs 40 Crores in Unpaid Dues

The Vigilance Bureau of Punjab, in the course of its investigations, has uncovered a distressing situation regarding the Golden Sandhar Sugar Mill in Phagwara, Kapurthala district. The mill, previously known as Wahid Sandhar Sugar Mills, has failed to settle outstanding payments to cane farmers for the past four years, accumulating a staggering debt of approximately Rs 40 Crores 71 Lakhs 68 Thousand.

Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the state Vigilance Bureau said this issue has come to light just as the upcoming cane crop crushing season is set to begin in the first week of November. Despite repeated demands from hardworking cane farmers, Golden Sandhar Sugar Mill, under its previous management by Wahid Sandhar Sugar Mills, has continued to neglect its financial obligations.

Moreover, a concerning development is that farmers are now receiving legal notices from IDBI Bank Phagwara, urging them to repay KCC (Kisan Credit Card) loans totaling Rs 3,00,000 each to the bank. What baffles the farmers is that they have no recollection of seeking loans or utilizing loan funds from the bank.

In essence, this dire situation has led to cane farmers suffering substantial losses, with their produce’s (cane) value amounting to an unpaid sum of Rs 40 Crores 71 Lakhs 68 Thousand. Simultaneously, approximately 600 farmers find themselves ensnared in KCC loan liabilities, with each farmer being held liable for Rs 3,00,000, apparently under the mill’s guarantorship.

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau continues to monitor the situation closely, with the hope of achieving a resolution that serves the best interests of the farmers, he added.