Chandigarh (Face2News Bureau)

While the Punjab government rolls out red carpets attracting NRI investors to Punjab and holds lavish NRI summits, an elderly blind NRI, who has been a celebrated Indian athlete is running from pillar to post to get back his hard earned Rs 2.65 cr. USA based NRI Jasbir Singh Ghoman, who suffers from degenerative Parkinson’s disease and has turned blind due to it, is fighting an odd battle against power corridors of the state. Canadian citizen Jasbir Singh Ghoman has been duped of Rs 2.65 cr by a Chandigarh sector 4 resident who is now threatening him and his family of dire consequences. 

Inderpreet Chadda issued a cheque (no. 000121), dated June 15, 2014 for an amount of Rs. 2.65 cr drawn on HDFC, Bank, Sector 46, Chandigarh and assured that the said cheque would be honored when deposited in bank. “To our surprise, the cheque was dishonored due to insufficient funds. On June 15 when Chadda issued the cheque he knew that it would be dishonored. However still in order to cheat and with malafide intention, he issued this cheque,” added Gurmit. 

Talking to media persons here today NRI Ghoman’s wife Gurmit Kaur said Ghoman won gold medal in the 400 meter hurdles title and the 1975 Asian Track and Field Championship in Seoul. He won number of medals for India in the Asian Games and was a member of the Indian Olympic Team that went to Montreal in 1976. Presently handicapped due to Parkinson’s disease and consequent blindness, Ghoman migrated to USA in the year 1973 and later on ventured into a very successful Five star hotel business and presently has Canadian Citizenship.  “Mr Ghoman sold his property at Ludhiana. On request of Inderpreet Singh Chadda, a resident of sector 4 Chandigarh who is also an influential person, Ghoman gave him an amount of Rs. 2.65 cr in good faith,” she said. Chadda collected this amount from Ghoman’s residence at phase 7 Mohali and it was promised that the amount would be returned to Ghoman in January 2014. Accordingly, Ghoman and his wife came to India around 5 to 6 months ago and requested Inderpreet Singh Chadda to return the Rs 2.65 cr, “However from the last about 2 months, Inderpreet Singh Chadda had been dilly-dallying to return the money and even stopped picking up phone calls made to him. He also did not reply to the e-mail sent regarding money,” said Gurmit Kaur. Thereafter, Ghoman and his wife visited the house of Inderpreet Chadda, in the first week of June, 2014 and requested him to return Rs 2.65 cr taking into consideration, the fact that Ghoman was suffering from Parkinson’s disease and had become totally blind. Accordingly Inderpreet Chadda issued a cheque (no. 000121), dated June 15, 2014 for an amount of Rs. 2.65 cr drawn on HDFC, Bank, Sector 46, Chandigarh and assured that the said cheque would be honored when deposited in bank. “To our surprise, the cheque was dishonored due to insufficient funds. On June 15 when Chadda issued the cheque he knew that it would be dishonored. However still in order to cheat and with malafide intention, he issued this cheque,” added Gurmit. Since then Ghoman has been trying to contact Chadda. Instead of accepting and rectifying his mistake, Chadda has started abusing and issuing threat to Ghoman and his family members. Ghoman and his family appealed SSP Mohali to registers a case against Chadda for posing danger to their lives.  “The Ghoman family wants their hard earned money back. Chadda has threatened to kill them if they ask for money,” she added.  Since Ghoman is suffering from advance stage of Parkinson’s disease and optic nerve atrophy causing permanent blindness in 2010, he has sought immediate seeks corrective action from state government to get back his hard earned money and safeguard his interest so that he may return safely to his home at Toronto. His early return would mean resumption of medical treatment and proper monitoring of his health as he experiences a rapidly degenerative disease process which he has been precluded from managing while being in Punjab for the past six months to get back his money.