Mohali, Aug. 23 -- Realtor Jarnail Singh Bajwa, facing over 50 cheating cases, has been convicted for the first time, with a Kharar court awarding him three-year rigorous imprisonment for defrauding government officials in the name of an affordable housing project. Bajwa, who is the chairman and managing director of realty firm Bajwa Developers Private Limited (BDL), has also been told to pay a fine of Rs.10,000 by the court of judicial magistrate first class (JMIC), Kharar, Chahat Chhabra. The case was lodged by Commander Kuldeepak Mittal (retd), chairman of the government officials welfare organisation (GOWO) and power of attorney holder of India Affordable Housing Solutions Pvt Ltd (IAHSPL). According to the complainant, Bajwa had approached GOWO in August 2012 with a proposal to develop 25 acres in Harlalpur village, Sunny Enclave, for a housing project. The project was to have 1,500 affordable flats for government employees. A partnership firm, Sunrise Future City Developers, was formed with Bajwa and MK Bathla of IAHSPL as partners. Subsequently, GOWO transferred Rs.7 lakh for initial bookings, while IAHSPL made further payments totalling Rs.2.4 crore through various cheques and direct payments to BDL and architects. As per the partnership deed, BDL was required to provide 25 acres with fencing and roads within three months. However, Bajwa failed to fulfill the commitment and instead sold the land to a third party, where construction was later undertaken. A legal notice dated March 11, 2017, was issued to BDL and another firm, but the complainant claimed no relief was provided. Thus the project, intended to provide affordable homes to serving and retired officers, collapsed, leaving many families deprived of their promised homes and financial investments. A criminal complaint was eventually filed under Section 190(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, with the complainant alleging that despite repeated representations, police officials failed to take action, forcing the complainant to seek judicial intervention. During sentencing, the court observed that Bajwa was not a first-time offender. The prosecution highlighted that he was facing as many as 53 other FIRs for cheating and had earlier been declared a proclaimed offender for absconding during trial. The court noted that his repeated misconduct reflected an "incorrigible criminal mindset" and that his actions had not only caused heavy financial losses but also "shattered the dreams and hopes of government employees." Rejecting the defence plea for leniency, the court remarked that "misplaced sympathy would amount to a travesty of justice." Accordingly, Bajwa was sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs.10,000. In case of default of payment, he will serve an additional six months of simple imprisonment. Bajwa's counsel, advocate Dinesh Kumar said, "We will challenge the order of Kharar court in the Mohali sessions court."...