Gurpreet Singh :- Tarn Taran police on Saturday arrested Gurdaspur SDM Anupreet Kaur Randhawa from her official residence in connection with alleged land compensation embezzlement case linked to the Jammu-Kashmir-Rajasthan highway project.
According to officials, Randhawa is accused of involvement in the alleged misappropriation of ₹1.63 crore during her tenure as SDM in Patti, Tarn Taran. Police said the investigation into the matter is still underway.
Currently Randhawa is serving as SDM in Gurdaspur district and also held additional charge of the Municipal Council. She has been accused of allegedly extending benefits to individuals who did not own land during the acquisition process for the Rajasthan-Jammu & Kashmir National Highway project.
The case dates back to a complaint filed on September 5, 2018, by then Patti SDM Navraj Singh Brar to the then Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Sabharwal. The complaint alleged that between January 9, 2018, and February 11, 2019, compensation worth ₹1.63 crore meant for land acquisition was transferred into the bank accounts of five ineligible individuals.
The beneficiaries were identified as Jasbir Kaur of Manawala in Amritsar, Rajwinder Kaur of Fatehpur Algo Mahmoodpura in Tarn Taran, Sartaj Singh and Gurjit Kaur of Kot Dasaundhi Mall, and Bikramjit Singh of Hoshiar Nagar in Amritsar. Based on Brar’s findings, FIR No. 47 was registered at City Patti police station on September 5, 2019, under IPC Sections 419, 420, 409, and 120B.
The FIR stated that revenue department records did not show any land owned by the five accused as being acquired for National Highway-54. Investigators found that the names of these individuals were not included in the 2013 Gazette notification issued by the Centre for land acquisition in six villages under Patti subdivision, including Tatla, Harike, Natthupur, Booh, Marhana, and Jauneke.
The investigation further revealed that the compensation amount was released after approval bearing the signatures of the then SDM, Anupreet Kaur Randhawa. Authorities alleged that the money was transferred without verification of revenue records, resulting in the embezzlement of government funds.
Following the inquiry, a committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner was formed, and its report was sent to the Punjab government. Acting on the findings, then Punjab Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh ordered Randhawa’s suspension.
