Chandigarh, April 17
The Central Bureau of Investigation, continuing with its search in the case related to the Forest Hill Golf Resort violations, today recovered more jewellery, some cash, fixed deposit receipts (FDRs) and National Saving Certificates (NSCs) from the bank lockers of the officers already booked by the CBI.
Well placed sources in the CBI said the bank lockers of General Manager of the Punjab Forest Development Corporation, Mr Harsh Kumar, were opened today. These have yielded jewellery worth Rs 16 lakh besides FDRs and NSCs worth Rs 36 lakh. Some of the FDRs and NSCs are in the name of his family members.
The CBI is investigating violations in approvals given to the resort which was allegedly constructed on forest land at Karoran village on the north-western outskirts of Chandigarh. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had asked the CBI in October 2004 to form a special team.
The CBI has already recovered documents relating to property of Mr K.B.S. Sidhu, an IAS officer. He owns 3 acres of land near the resort itself and the documents have been taken into possession by the CBI. Its registered value with the Revenue Department is Rs 25 lakh, however, the market value could be much more, CBI functionaries said tonight. The CBI has also listed the documents of another house in Sector 19 Chandigarh in its list. This property is valued at Rs 50 lakh in the revenue records. Another 750 grams of jewellery was found from a locker of his and that is valued at about Rs 6 lakh.
Meanwhile, the CBI today also opened the lockers of Mr S.C. Agarwal, another IAS officer. Jewellery worth Rs 12 lakh and another Rs 5 lakh in cash were recovered CBI sources said.
CBI functionaries said the fourth officer, Mr J.S. Samundri, a Forest Officer, is away to Canada. Efforts are on to open his lockers through other family members. A report of all the documents would be presented to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the coming days, said the officials.
