RTI Exposes Scam During 2011 Kabaddi World Cup

BATHINDA – At a time when the PunjabGovernment is gearing up to host the fourth editionof the Kabaddi World Cup, a transportationscam related to the second edition has come tosurface. The scam involving fraudulent paymentof several lakhs of rupees to bus transporters isan eye-opener to how things are handled by officialsat the Badal family’s home-turf, Bathinda.As per information procured under the RTI Act,a sum of Rs 7.94 lakh paid towards ferrying peopleto the Kabaddi Cup venue was allegedly swindledby some bus operators in connivance withTransport Department officials in 2011.The government paid this sum to certain transportersfor 227 buses hired for ferrying rural peoplefrom other districts to the Kabaddi Cup venuein Bathinda. The Tribune team found that transporterHarmik Singh of Nathana received Rs 1.82lakh for supplying 52 buses. This transportershowed PB 19C/9557 as a 52-seater bus whereasthe registration number was that of his motorcycle.The other vehicles fraudulently shown asbuses included a Bajaj Chetak scooter of BarinderSingh of Kehru village in Dhuri (PB 13G/841),scooter of Jagdip Singh of Mallian in Barnala (PB13C/3187), motor-cycle of Charan Singh Barnala(PB 19C/9245), motor-cycle of Manjit Singh ofMalerkotala (PB 13N/7611), trailer owned byBharpur Singh of Malerkotala (PB 13L/93870),Swaranjit Kaur of Barnala (PB 19E/2665), anIndigo car of Amarjit Singh of Barnala (PB19F/7107) and a Swift car of Gulshan Kumar ofBarnala (PB 19F/4007).Also, an operator obtained payment for providinga bus (PB 19 Q/7907) whereas the BarnalaDTO’s office has yet to allot this series number.