Chandigarh, July 7: The Punjab Vigilance Bureau on Thursday arrested Conservator of Forests Planning Vishal Chauhan IFS in connection with case No. 6 dated 02-06-2022 under Section 7 and 7-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 120B of IPC to get money from colonizer Davinder Singh Sandhu.
Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson of Vigilance Bureau said that VB has arrested Conservator Vishal Chauhan IFS after conducting investigations and interrogation of the already arrested Divisional Forest Officer of Mohali Guramanpreet Singh and Contractor Harmahinder Singh alias Hami in the case no.6 dated 02-06-2022 on the basis of other highlighted events and documentary evidences.
During the investigation, his direct role has came to light in connivance with the Guramanpreet Singh and Hammi with the intention of getting hefty bribes from colonizer Davinder Singh Sandhu by threatening departmental and police action against him. As a result of this, VB has arrested Vishal Chauhan after naming him as the accused in this case on the basis of the tangible evidence and investigation is being carried out further.
Giving further details, the spokesperson said that Davinder Singh Sandhu R/o house No. 292, Sector 10 of Chandigarh has about 100 acres of land in the name of his company at village Masaul and Tanda, Sub tehsil Majri, district SAS Nagar and part of this land also falls under Section 4 of the PLPA Act.
He said that Ranjodh Singh Range Officer accused Davinder Singh Sandhu’s father Colonel Baljit Singh Sandhu and his office bearer Tarsem Singh for causing damage to natural forest plants and lodged a complaint in this regard in the Police Station, Nawagoan.
He further revealed that subsequently on 27-04-2022, Davinder Singh Sandhu was informed by Ranjodh Singh Range Officer and Aman Forests Patwari that the complaint has been lodged against him at Police Station, Nawagoan at the behest of Guramanpreet Singh and Vishal Chauhan, then Conservator Shivalik Circle. In this connection, Ranjodh Singh Range Officer asked Davinder Singh to meet Vishal Chauhan Conservator or else an FIR would be registered against you in this case.
Giving more details, the spokesperson said that thereafter Davinder Singh Sandhu met the DFO Guramanpreet Singh and contractor Hammi on 30-04-2022 and they talked for one and half hour regarding the complaint lodged by Ranjodh Singh. During this discussion, Davinder Singh Sandhu videotaped the entire conversation and at the request of contractor Hammi, Davinder Singh Sandhu handed over a packet of Rs. 2 lakh to Guramanpreet Singh. On the spot, Guramanpreet Singh told Davinder Singh Sandhu that he would talk to Vishal Chauhan, Conservator about this project and inform him about the remaining bribe money.
Elaborating further, he said that a few days later the contractor Hammi contacted Davinder Sandhu and told him that he and Guramanpreet had discussed with Vishal Chauhan, who said that if the project is to be started, he would have to give bribe of Rs. 1 crore as a first installment and then Rs. 10 lakhs per month along with Rs. 5 lakhs of whatever land would be sold as share, but Davinder Singh Sandhu did not agreed to pay all this bribe.
Thereafter, Davinder Singh Sandhu filed a complaint at the Anti-Corruption Helpline, and then Vigilance Bureau arrested Guramanpreet Singh and contractor Hammi in this case. According to the facts, Guramanpreet Singh and Vishal Chouhan had lodged a complaint against Davinder Singh Sandhu’s father under FIR no. 39 dated 09-05-2022 under section 4, 5 of the PLPA Act at the Nayagoan Police Station by pressurizing the subordinates working under him. On 10-05-2022, Vishal Chouhan in the presence of Guramanpreet Singh asked his subordinates to include the name of Davinder Singh Sandhu in this case and action should be taken to prosecute the offender. An application prepared by Chouhan in this regard was also provided.
The spokesperson said that it was clear from the incident and documentary evidence that Vishal Chauhan wanted to get hefty bribes from the company of Davinder Singh Sandhu and therefore, the Vigilance Bureau has arrested Vishal Chauhan IFS in this case.
