Former Haryana finance minister Sampat Singh on Sunday demanded an inquiry by the additional chief secretary (ACS) (finance) into the handling of hundreds of crores received by the two Panipat district gram panchayats, Bal Jattan and Khandra.
He also questioned the reported constitution of FDs without the DC’s signature, despite the accounts being operated jointly. The money was initially credited to the panchayats’ accounts with Punjab National Bank and was subsequently placed in multiple fixed deposits (FDs) with various banks including private sector banks. “The most important question is not merely why sarpanches created FDs without the required approval. The bigger question is when hundreds of crores of public money were being transferred from panchayat accounts to different banks, why did the district administration not intervene at the very beginning?” he asked. The subsequent inquiry found that the FDs were created without the DC’s prior approval. Even within the same private sector bank, different FDs were reportedly made at different rates. “If the same public money was being deposited in the same bank at different rates, who negotiated these rates? Was a proper comparative statement prepared? Who decided the allocation? Any avoidable difference in interest represents potential financial loss to the panchayats and must be quantified,’’ the former minister asked. The district administration’s own communication reportedly noted that some FDs were initially made in favour of the sarpanch alone and that banks could not satisfactorily explain why the required approval was not obtained.
The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader, in a statement, said that about ₹ 383 crore was earned by the two panchayats from the sale of about 180 acres of panchayat land to Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL). Citing Hindustan Times news, the former minister said that Bal Jattan received about ₹ 277 crore and Khandra about ₹ 106.44 crore. The finance department had issued directions on May 18, 2026, requiring quotations from empaneled banks, preparation of a comparative statement and approval of the competent authority before creation of FDs. Singh said the reported variation in interest rates from 6.50% to 7.40% also merits an investigation. Bal Jattan alone had 16 FDs totalling about ₹ 264.96 crore, while Khandra had nine FDs totalling about ₹ 101.81 crore, he said citing HT stories.
Singh said the permission to sell panchayat land was granted by the director, panchayats, on the recommendation of the deputy commissioner. “Therefore, once such a huge amount was received, it was naturally within the knowledge and administrative oversight of the district authorities,” he said.
