Mandi Gobindgarh trader accuse excise officials of collecting election fund

CHANDIGARH: A Mandi Gobindgarh-based trader has accused officials of the Punjab excise and taxation department of extorting money for “election fund”. Guru Traders’ Sukhwinder Singh has also lodged a complaint with Punjab’s chief electoral officer (CEO) S Karuna Raju, who has in turn ordered an inquiry.

In his complaint, Sukhwinder has accused assistant tax commissioner Rajesh Bhandari and tax officer Hukam Chand of threatening traders and transporters and extorting money through illegal means. The complainant alleged that Chand and others took Rs 18.5 lakh from him as election fund at Mohali last month, and Rs 10.5 lakh from another Mandi Gobindgarh-based trader. He added that the officers took another Rs 2 lakh from him last week.

“These officers are openly and forcibly collecting money from traders and transporters on account of election party funds. The traders and transporters are being harassed by them and doing their business under fear and pressure,” said Sukhwinder, who further told TOI that he will also lodge a complaint with the Punjab vigilance department.

The complainant also accused another officer Kali Charan of lifting iron bar weighing around 20 tonne for construction of his house, of which he made payment of only 12 tonne.

Rubbishing the allegations, all the three officials said that Sukhwinder had filed a frivolous complaint against them as they had seized his vehicles for transporting iron out of Punjab without paying the taxes. “The complainant, along with others, illegally transport iron to other states without paying taxes. The complaint has been lodged to pressurize the officials not to act against them,” claimed Bhandari. He said that Kali Charan and Chand, in last one month, seized three of his trucks while trying to smuggle out iron.

The officials on Thursday were asked to submit their reply which they did. “We have submitted our reply with all documentary evidence,” said Bhandari, adding that the complainant had submitted fake receipts and the department would write to police to lodge a case of cheating and forgery against him.

Despite repeated attempts, CEO Raju and Punjab excise and taxation commissioner Vivek Partap Singh were not available for comments.