Jalandhar: Retd IAS officer under scanner for forging will to usurp property, probe on

Jalandhar, April 5

The Bureau of Investigation (Punjab Police) is probing the role of retired IAS officer Manpreet Singh Chhatwal in an alleged case of usurping of property belonging to the family of PCS officer Jaspreet Singh in Ludhiana. The latter is posted as SDM Sultanpur Lodhi and is Chhatwal’s cousin. Chhatwal retired about two years ago, having last served as the Director of Rural Development and Panchayat.

The property in dispute is an SCF in the prime Aggar Nagar locality in Ludhiana. The BOI had last month marked an inquiry into the case with DIG Jalandhar Range Dr S Bhoopati. The complainant has also alleged that Chhatwal had forged a will to retain the property.

“The will has my father Jagatjit Singh’s fake signatures. A fake story has been mentioned in the will that my father was not on good terms with my mother and that he was being taken care of by Chhatwal’s mother-in-law Amarjit Kaur, who was 20 years elder to my father. She has been named as the heir of the property after my father’s death. The will has been prepared smartly, dated February 3, 2006, which was few months ahead of my father’s demise,” Jaspreet mentioned in his complaint to the police.

He has also submitted proofs of the date of purchase of the property, which is September 27, 1991, and had called for registration of an FIR against the retired IAS officer under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC. Dr Bhoopati said that the matter is under investigation.

Chhatwal refused to comment on the issue.