Punjab ex-minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot arrested for forest department scam

Jupinderjit Singh

Chandigarh, June 7

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau today arrested former Forest Minister and Congress leader Sadhu Singh Dharamsot in a corruption case related to felling of trees and other illegalities.

Former minister Sangat Singh Gilzian, who held the forest portfolio in the Charanjit Singh Channi-led government, has also been named in the FIR.

The action came on the basis of purported entries in a diary seized from forest contractor Harmohinder Singh, alias Hummy, who was arrested on June 2 along with Mohali DFO Guramanpreet Singh over illegal construction of farmhouses on forest land. The diary entries showed commission ranging from Rs 100 for lower-rung staff to Rs 500 for the minister was charged for each tree that was felled.

Kamaljit Singh Kamal, a journalist with a Punjabi newspaper who was Dharamsot’s media adviser, and Chamkaur Singh, former Range Officer-cum-OSD to the minister, have also been arrested. Indian Forest Service officer Amit Chauhan, forest guard Dilpreet Singh, Gilzian’s personal assistant Kulwinder Singh Shergill and Sachin Kumar have also been named in the FIR.

A Vigilance spokesperson said Dharamsot was arrested for his alleged involvement in organised corruption pertaining to the issuance of permits for cutting of khair trees, transfer of officials, departmental purchases and issuance of no-objection certificates.

Hummy, as per the diary entries, allegedly paid Rs 7 lakh bribe in a single felling season. He alleged that there were 15 other contractors in Mohali who too had to pay bribes, else they were denied felling permits or were threatened with hefty penalties.

The payment to Dharamsot was allegedly routed through Kamaljit, a resident of Khanna and Shiv Sena leader who was enjoying Punjab Police security. The spokesperson said Dharamsot would allegedly charge Rs 10-20 lakh for the transfer of DFO, Rs 5-8 lakh for ranger, Rs 5 lakh for block officer and Rs 2-3 lakh for forest guard. The payments were either made to his OSD Chamkaur or Kamaljit. In addition, the minister allegedly pocketed Rs 1 crore per permit for felling of trees, the spokesperson said.

Sangat Singh Gilzian, the Vigilance said, allegedly pocketed Rs 6.4 crore bribe by charging Rs 800 commission for each tree guard installed. A total of 80,000 such tree guards were bought during the minister’s three-month tenure.

Dharamsot’s arrest came hours ahead of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the house of slain singer Sidhu Moosewala in Mansa. Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring described the arrest as “political vendetta” and asked Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to let the law take its course and not resort to “kangaroo court justice”.

AAP MP Raghav Chadha alleged that rampant corruption by the former Congress minister went unchecked despite evidence. “Only AAP has political will to bring mighty to justice,” he said.

‘Took Rs 1 cr/permit’

Sadhu Singh Dharamsot

Corruption in issuance of felling permits (allegedly charged Rs 1 crore/permit), transfers/postings, purchases and issuance of NOCs

Sangat Singh Gilzian

Rs 800 per tree commission in installation of 80,000 tree guards; allegedly pocketed Rs 6.4 crore