UP Lokayukta N K Mehrotra on Monday received a letter from the state government, asking him to probe the sale of 21 sugar mills during the BSP tenure which, according to a CAG audit, had caused a loss of Rs 1,179 crore to the exchequer. Among the beneficiaries of the sale are reportedly companies owned by Ponty Chadha.

Ponty Chadha and his brother Hardeep died in a fratricidal fight in Delhi on Saturday.

On November 6, the Cabinet had taken a decision to hand over the inquiry to the Lokayukta. The letter sent by Rajeev Kumar, Principal Secretary (Vigilance), asked the Lokayukta to conduct an inquiry into the sale of sugar mills and use whatever procedure he may consider suitable.

Mehrotra said that he will ask the state government to provide him with a copy of the CAG report. He will study it and then decide on the procedure to be followed to conduct an inquiry, he said. Mehrotra said Ponty Chadha’s death will not affect his inquiry, but he may have to question the functionaries of his companies if it’s found that the companies had entered into any conspiracy with government officials.