Chandigarh, August 25
Punjab Vigilance sleuths today conducted an inspection at the Sector 88 house of Punjab AIG Ashish Kapoor in connection with a preliminary inquiry into a complaint of disproportionate assets (DA) against him.
A nine-member team of the Vigilance Bureau, along with experts, visited the house of the AIG to take measurements and evaluate the cost of furnishing. A notice was issued to the AIG before the team visited the house and the evaluation was done in his presence.
The AIG, who was previously posted in the Vigilance Bureau, alleged that the complaint was filed against him to malign his image. In 2017, the AIG was involved in an investigation into a multi-crore irrigation scam involving contractor Gurinder Singh.
Though Vigilance officials did not confirm whether there was any connection between the preliminary inquiry and the cases of corruption registered against former Forest Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Conservator Vishal Chauhan and DFO Guramanpreet Singh, sources said the Vigilance was probing whether the AIG extended any benefit to the forest officials while investigating different cases against them during his tenure in the Vigilance and the forest officials returned the favour by allegedly supplying wood used in furnishing the house.
Incidentally, the AIG had investigated a case of illegal felling of trees at Mirzapur village, Mohali, and had recommended departmental action against the Conservator and the DFO. However, Chief Conservator of Forests (Hills) Harsh Kumar had written to the ADGP, Vigilance, in June this year stating that instead of registering a case against the forest officials, the AIG had recommended departmental action against them.
The CCF (Hills) had filed a chargesheet against the AIG for allegedly favouring one of the accused in a case of illegally grabbing forest land at Karoran village in the district by removing the affidavits filed along with High Court judgments submitted in the Supreme Court.
ED seeks FIR details of ex-ministers
More trouble is in the offing for former forest ministers Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and Sangat Singh Gilzian, besides officials, booked in a case of corruption. While Dharamsot is in judicial custody, Gilzian has been granted interim bail. The ED has sought details of the FIRs registered against Dharamsot and Gilzian from the Vigilance Bureau, confirmed sources. The ED is looking into alleged money transactions.
