Bhopal: EOW begins to ferret out deals behind Khasgi trust assets’ sale

BHOPAL: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has begun to ferret out the real story behind the sale of Khasgi Trust estates.

EOW sleuths are trying to expose the deals that took place behind the curtain between the trustees and the buyers of those properties in Haridwar.

They are also trying to bring to light the reasons behind the sale of assets worth crores of rupees for a song. The trustees concerned will be questioned once the probe agency lays its hands on the documents.

The trust disposed of Kushawart Ghat and Ahilya Haveli in Haridwar only for Rs 50 lakh. The real cost of the properties were crores of rupees at that time too.

These assets were sold to Rajendra Sikhaula, a property dealer in Haridwar. Now, EOW has begun to dig out what kind of underhand dealings took place between the trustees and Sikhaula.

Sikhaula transferred the properties to someone else. A hotel has been constructed on the lands. EOW is finding out how many partners are running the hotel. The agency is also probing whether there are any middlemen in the sale of properties.

Officers, before and after Singh objected

The trustees allowed the sale of Khasgi properties when former chief secretary BP Singh was the commissioner of Indore. Before Singh, all commissioners of Indore were the members of the trust. Yet none of them gave their consent to sell the trust properties. Those who became commissioners after Singh also did not give nod for disposing of the trust assets. It was only Singh who did that. EOW may quiz him.