Chandigarh hotelier surrenders in Shimla

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 22

Chandigarh hotelier and director of Pristine Hotels and Resorts Limited, who was booked in the alleged illicit felling of trees in Tara Devi forests, near here, was arrested today.

“Amrik Singh Nagpal came to my office and surrendered and was arrested in the illicit felling and forgery case,” SP, Shimla, DW Negi said.

Amrik Singh had applied for interim bail, but it was rejected by the High Court which directed the police to submit a detailed report about the case on the next hearing on December 24.

A case of illegal felling of trees at Tara Devi near Shimla was registered last month and subsequent inquiries revealed that Nagpal’s company had entered into an agreement with Parminder Kaur, the owner of the private land at Tara Devi forest area, where 477 trees, including seven deodar trees and 470 baan, were found axed.

Perminder Kaur in her complaint to Sanjay Sood, Forest Conservator, Shimla, had maintained that she was unaware about the felling and had not authorised anyone to act on her behalf whether for the purpose of demarcation or any other work relating to her land.

Nagpal had also pleaded innocence and said he was unaware about the felling as he was out of the country.

However, he admitted that he had signed an agreement with Perminder Kaur for the purchase of 38 bigha land, but was yet to get the possession and as such there was no question of his being involved in the illicit tree felling.

DGP: Synergy among various departments essential

With temple thefts as top priority, information regarding terrorism, international borders and drugs was mutually shared by the state police and representatives of the Narcotic Control Bureau, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Enforcement Directorate, RAW, Paramilitary Force and other intelligence agencies in the meeting held here today. There were no major inputs on fake currency and flesh trade said DGP Sanjay Kumar, adding that with rise in criminal activities synergy among various departments and sharing of information had become essential for better results.