The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has summoned former AAP MLA from Ropar, Amarjit Singh Sandoa, for questioning in connection with the multi-crore forest land scam being investigated by the agency.
According to an official notice issued by the VB unit at Ropar on Thursday, Sandoa has been directed to appear before the investigating officer, Inspector Harpreet Singh, at the VB office at 10 am on Friday.
The notice, issued under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Section 41-A of CrPC, states that during investigation of FIR dated June 28, 2022, registered at Nurpur Bedi police station under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC along with Sections 7, 7A, 8 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, “reasonable grounds” had emerged to question Sandoa regarding facts and circumstances related to the case.
The VB has asked the former legislator to disclose all facts truthfully and produce all relevant documents and materials connected with the probe.
Sandoa, when contacted on the phone, said he has no knowledge regarding the summons issued to him.
The case pertains to alleged irregularities in the purchase of land by the Punjab State Forest Corporation for compensatory afforestation. In May 2019, the corporation floated tenders for the purchase of land for plantation purposes. During the investigation, the VB allegedly found that around 54 acres and eight marlas of land at Karura village near Nurpur Bedi was purchased at nearly Rs 9.9 lakh per acre despite the collector rate in the area being around Rs 90,000 per acre.
Investigators alleged that the land, allegedly classified as forest land, was shown on paper as non-forest land to facilitate the purchase at inflated rates, causing substantial loss to the state exchequer.
The land had reportedly been offered by SGPC member Daljit Singh Bhinder and his brother Amarinder Singh Bhinder.
The probe later uncovered alleged money trails linked to the transaction. According to investigators, nearly Rs 2 crore connected to the land deal was transferred in September 2020 from accounts linked to the Bhinder brothers to a woman based in Jalandhar.
A substantial amount was later transferred to her husband, identified as Barinder Kumar, who allegedly paid Rs 19,00,047 to a Toyota dealer on October 16, 2020.
The amount was allegedly used to purchase an Innova Crysta that was registered in the name of Sandoa’s father-in-law, Mohan Singh but was being used by the former MLA.
Vigilance officials had earlier initiated steps to freeze or block the transfer of the vehicle registration as part of the investigation.
Sandoa had earlier denied any wrongdoing and termed the allegations politically motivated. He had maintained that the vehicle was purchased by his father-in-law and later given to him for use.
I never asked my in-laws about the source of money with which the car was bought, he had earlier said. He had maintained that his political rivals were trying to defame him.
Sources said the VB is examining whether proceeds allegedly generated through the controversial land deal were used to purchase assets or provide benefits to individuals connected with the transaction.
Four Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers and several other accused have already been chargesheeted in the case. The investigation was initially conducted by the district police before being transferred to the Vigilance Bureau owing to the alleged involvement of government officials and corruption-related charges.
The fresh summons has been issued to Sandoa by the vigilance to join the investigation in the case four years after the case was registered.
