E-Paper
Land acquisition in Punjab’s Mohali village: VB gets centre’s nod to prosecute 2 ex-IAS officers in graft case
The case dates back to 2023, when the ex-IAS officers SS Bains and GK Singh were charged under various sections of corruption.
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has chargesheeted two former IAS officers— SS Bains and GK Singh— for their alleged involvement in the misappropriation/embezzlement of funds sanctioned by the state government for the acquisition of land of Jheurheri village in Mohali district, during their respective tenure as director, department of panchayats and rural development.
The chargesheet was presented after the Union government’s department of personnel and training (DoPT), the controlling authority of the IAS cadre, gave permission under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act to prosecute the former IAS officers.
The case dates back to 2023, when the ex-IAS officers SS Bains and GK Singh were charged under Section 409, 420, 465, 467, 471, 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 13(1) r/w, 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act in an FIR lodged by VB.
VB received the prosecution sanction from the central government on August 27. Subsequently, a challan in the case was submitted in the court of additional district and sessions judge on September 4. The next date of hearing in the case is September 11.
As per VB, after the acquisition of shamlat deh of Jhiurheri village and panchayat deh land, SS Bains was fully aware, being the director, about the compensation amount lying deposited in the bank account of the department since 2008 and it was his responsibility to maintain and use such funds properly and protect it from misuse.
“Bains misused his authority and in connivance with other accused and guilty officers, sarpanch and some private persons released a huge amount of ₹15 crore directly to the Jhiurheri gram panchayat with malafide intention and without the approval of his superiors or the then minister and in exchange himself obtained illegal financial benefits,” VB said.
Apart from this, Bains released an amount of ₹11 crore to Bhag Singh and Kesar Singh out of the compensation of shamlat deh along with interest by misusing his powers and compelled the gram panchayat to loan ₹5 crore from the said total compensation to the Bathinda zila parishad.
After the release of the funds, Bains did not monitor the process of purchase of the land approved by the panchayat nor did it monitor or obtain any report regarding the legitimate use of the said funds, VB added.
The VB chargesheet said before the appointment of SS Bains as director, the ex-director Gurdev Singh Sidhu had also ‘illegally’ released compensation amount to some persons out of compensation amount of shamlat land amounting to ₹9 crore.
“Despite knowing the above information, SS Bains released a total compensation amount of ₹11 crore to the persons along with interest and in lieu of that, he received a bribe of ₹80lakh,” read the VB chargesheet.
The VB added that Deepinder Singh, secretary, rural development and panchayat department, had sent a note to the then minister on May 6, 2016, for the cancellation of the order passed by the director for distribution of compensation, redemption of indemnity bonds given by the individuals while seeking compensation, for initiation of proceeding against the director and other guilty officers. But Bains pressurised gram panchayat to extend a loan of ₹5 crore to Bathinda zila Parishad, and same day, the village body received a compensation of ₹15 crore.
“It’s a watertight case, thus the centre has given the nod to prosecute the guilty officers,” a VB official said confirming the development.
