Punjab forest ‘scam’: Mohali court asks chief secy to check ‘delay’ in prosecution sanction against IFS officer

A Mohali court took note of a ‘delay’ in prosecution sanction against Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Vishal Chauhan and asked the Punjab chief secretary to examine the ‘slackness’ on part of state government functionaries.

Observing that the case has been lingering since 2022, the Mohali court said, “chief secretary to government of Punjab is directed to examine the slackness on the part of the various functionaries of the state government... in processing the consideration of sanction against the public servant, despite the vigilance bureau having applied for it a long time ago as well as orders passed by this court... the chief director, vigilance bureau is directed to pursue the matter at his own end.”

Chauhan was booked for the infamous Punjab forest ‘scam’, unearthed by the vigilance bureau in 2022. A challan was presented by VB later in the year. It was alleged that the accused embezzled forest department funds. Former Punjab ministers Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and Sangat Singh Gilzian are his co-accused in the case. Chauhan was posted as forest conservator, Punjab, from Mohali at the time.

The VB arrested Mohali divisional forest officer (DFO) Guramanpreet Singh and contractor Harmahinder Singh, alias Hummy, for taking a bribe from WWICS director Devinder Singh Sandhu. Prosecution sanction against Guramanpreet Singh has already been granted.

Chauhan was arrested by the vigilance bureau in 2022 and is currently out on bail.

“...the grant of sanction is an administrative act. Its purpose is to protect the public servant from harassment by frivolous or vexatious prosecution, and not to shield the corrupt,” the court added.

In November last year, the court of additional sessions judge, Mohali, Harsimranjit Singh attached the salary of Union environment ministry under secretary, forests and climate change, for delay in the prosecution sanction. However, it is still awaited.

The Union ministry had then submitted that they were yet to receive details from the department of forest and wildlife preservation, Punjab.

The vigilance department had issued a letter on January 20 this year to the state department of forest and wildlife preservation financial commissioner, where requisite documents regarding Chauhan were sent for further action.

The court, in its latest order, said a three-month deadline from the date of request has been fixed as per law for the authorities concerned to decide on such matters and it is extendable by a month only in cases requiring legal consultation.

Issuing a strict warning, the court said any delay in responding to the VB request would amount to ‘deflecting the will of the legislature’ and may invite departmental action as per the mandate of the Supreme Court.