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Punjab: Vigilance nabs IFS officer in graft case, he claims former minister Gilzian forced him to bend rules

Kumar had remained the CEO of Punjab state compensatory afforestation and was held charge of PCCF in October 2021, after Gilzian became forest minister on September 26, 2021, added the functionary.

Gilzian and Kumar allegedly bypassed set norms to issue transfer orders of 23 executive field officials in January this year, one day prior to implementation of election code of conduct in Punjab, after accepting money from the beneficiaries, said the bureau.Gilzian and Kumar allegedly bypassed set norms to issue transfer orders of 23 executive field officials in January this year, one day prior to implementation of election code of conduct in Punjab, after accepting money from the beneficiaries, said the bureau.

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau on Monday said it has arrested Indian Forest Service Officer (IFS) Parveen Kumar, Principal Chief Conservator Forest (PCCF) Wildlife in a corruption case. The vigilance had registered an FIR against Kumar in June this year in connection with the embezzlement of funds during the tenure of Sangat Singh Gilzian as forest minister in the previous Congress government.

“During the ongoing investigation in the alleged organised corruption in the forest department during last five years — for giving choice postings, cutting of khair trees, issuance of NOCs for commercial establishments, purchase of tree guards worth crores of rupees and other activities — incriminating oral, documentary and circumstantial evidences surfaced on record against Kumar, on the basis of which he was named as accused in the case,” a government functionary said.

Kumar had remained the CEO of Punjab state compensatory afforestation and was held charge of PCCF in October 2021, after Gilzian became forest minister on September 26, 2021, added the functionary.

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During preliminary investigations, Kumar alleged that Gilzian had told him that his opponent in the Vidhan Sabha elections was a wealthy person having financial backup from the USA and hence, he is also in need of additional finances to contest elections, a vigilance official said, adding, “further the former minister allegedly pressured him to arrange money out of the funds of the department earmarked for various official activities”.

“Kumar then allegedly hatched a conspiracy with Gilzian’s nephew Daljit Singh Gilzian. Kumar introduced Daljit and Vipul Sehgal to another official Vishal Chauhan (IFS, CF) and told him to assist them for the supply of tree guards to the department without any tender or quotations or from gem portal as per government’s rules,” the vigilance official said.

Festive offer

“Consequently, crores of rupees were embezzled under the garb of purchase of tree guards in association with other co-accused persons namely Nitin Bansal, Binder Singh, Sachin Mehta, Vipul Sehgal and others,” the official further said.

Moreover, Gilzian and Kumar allegedly bypassed set norms to issue transfer orders of 23 executive field officials in January this year, one day prior to implementation of election code of conduct in Punjab, after accepting money from the beneficiaries, said the bureau.

First uploaded on: 27-09-2022 at 07:17 IST
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