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Punjab forest dept seeks strict action against two top officials arrested for graft
Punjab forest dept has written to additional chief secretary, forests, for departmental action against the two officers who were arrested by the Vigilance Bureau but have faced no civil action
Months after the Vigilance Bureau arrested Punjab conservator of forests Vishal Chauhan and Mohali divisional forest officer Guramanpreet Singh on graft charges, the state forest department has written a letter to the additional chief secretary, forests, to initiate disciplinary action against the duo.
While the action against Vishal, an Indian Forest Service officer, has been demanded under the All India Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, that against Guramanpreet, a Punjab Forest Service officer, has been sought under the Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 1970.
Since their arrest in June-July, both officers have been in jail.
In the letter, chief conservator of forests (Hills) Harsh Kumar stated multiple charges had been proved against the two officers and FIRs had been registered against them, but no civil disciplinary action had been initiated.
Guramanpreet was the first to be arrested on June 2 following a complaint by World Wide Immigration Consultancy Services (WWICS) senior director Devinder Singh Sandhu on the chief minister’s anti-corruption helpline.
Devinder had alleged that Guramanpreet, along with a private contractor, Harminder Singh Hummy, were demanding a recurrent bribe of ₹90 lakh for favouring him in his farm house project in Mohali’s Masaul and Tanda villages. And when he refused to accede to their demands, got a false case lodged against his father and WWICS managing director Col BS Sandhu (retd) under the Punjab Land Preservation Act.
After further probe and interrogation of Guramanpreet, Vishal was also arrested a month later on July 7 for being a conspirator and director of the FIR. As per Devinder’s complaint, the ₹90-lakh demand came after he had already paid ₹2 lakh, which were further paid to the two officers.
Kumar’s letter further mentioned that the officers bought tree guards in violation of the Punjab Forest Manual, Volume 2, where only brushwood fencing was allowed.
Besides, they also approved the annual plan of operations in violation of the Punjab Financial Rules.
Another IFS officer also named
The letter also named another IFS officer, Parveen Kumar, who was removed from the post of principal chief conservator of forests, head of forestry force (HOFF), on the basis of an investigation into the corruption case against former Congress minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and the other two officers.
The Vigilance Bureau had also obtained proofs of corruption and multiple illegalities against the ex-minister following the arrest of Guramanpreet and Harminder, who were found to have paid huge bribes to Dharamsot, who was the minister for forest and social welfare in the cabinet of former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
A diary seized from Harminder showed commission ranging from ₹100 for lower-rung staff to ₹500 for the minister was charged for each illegal tree felled.
Kumar’s letter said the Vigilance Bureau could only take criminal action and civil action for removal of these three officers, through due process, should be started.
Speaking to HT, Kumar said he had received a complaint from Devinder Sandhu, following which a preliminary inquiry was conducted after recording evidence. “An opportunity was given to all three officers, who were prima facie found guilty of violating departmental norms and the complaint was found to be true,” he added.
When contacted, additional chief secretary, Forests, Raji P Shrivastava said, “I have not seen the letter yet, but will look into the matter.”
