4-day police custody for Punjab's top forest officer

Mohali, September 27

A Mohali court today remanded state Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Parveen Kumar (IFS) in four-day police custody in the alleged forest scam in which former ministers Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and Sangat Singh Gilzian have earlier been booked.

The Vigilance Bureau on Sunday arrested Kumar claiming that he had disclosed during questioning that Gilzian, as Forest Minister, allegedly pressured him to arrange funds for contesting the recently-held Assembly elections. The spokesperson said the arrest was made in an ongoing investigation into the alleged organised corruption by the two ministers.

The VB said as part of the “scam”, the accused allegedly committed illegalities in the posting of officials, axing and selling of khair trees, issuing NOCs to commercial establishments and purchase of tree guards worth crores. The VB claims to have found incriminating oral, documentary and circumstantial evidence against the IFS officer.

Parveen remained CEO, PunCAMPA, and nodal officer for issuing NOCs.