Chandigarh, April 18
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has sought fresh approval from the state government to initiate a formal investigation against Congress leader and former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi in connection with alleged irregularities in the leasing of a property of the Punjab Tourism Department in Goa.
According to officials, the bureau has sought permission under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which requires prior sanction from the competent authority before initiating an investigation into offences allegedly committed by a public servant. The proposed probe relates to an eight-acre sea-facing property in Goa that was allegedly leased to a private hotelier at a monthly rent of Rs 1 lakh, which authorities say was significantly below the prevailing market value.
The Vigilance Bureau had earlier been examining alleged irregularities in the leasing of the property during the tenure of the then Congress government. Channi served as Chief Minister of Punjab from September 2021 to March 2022, succeeding Capt Amarinder Singh, and currently represents the Jalandhar Lok Sabha constituency.
After the Aam Aadmi Party came to power in Punjab, the Bhagwant Mann government ordered a preliminary inquiry into the matter through an IAS officer. Following the findings of that inquiry, the Vigilance Bureau moved for mandatory sanction to proceed further with a formal probe.
Officials have maintained that the alleged leasing decision during Channi’s tenure is under scrutiny for possible violations of norms and for an alleged loss to the state exchequer. The lease in question was later cancelled by the state government in June 2023, along with the announcement of a vigilance probe into the matter.
The latest request for approval now rests with the state government, which will decide whether to allow the Vigilance Bureau to proceed with a formal investigation.
