Chandigarh, Sept. 18 -- Former Haryana finance minister Sampat Singh on Thursday demanded a time-bound independent investigation into the reported parking of about Rs.224 crore of panchayat funds in private-sector banks without the approval of the competent authority.

Reacting to HT's news-report of September 17, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader said the matter concerned Bal Jattan and Khandra gram panchayats of Panipat district, which received about Rs.383.45 crore from the sale of panchayat land to Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL). Bal Jattan received approximately Rs.277 crore, while Khandra received about Rs.106.44 crore.

Sampat said the money belongs to the panchayats and the people of Haryana and cannot be dealt with...