4 IFS officers charge-sheeted: Forest Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 28

Forest Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak today said four IFS officers had been charge-sheeted and FIR of cheating and fraud had been registered against three persons in connection with fraudulent sale of 54 acres of private forest land as non-forest land to the department at Karuran village, Nurpur Bedi (Ropar).

The minister was replying to a question by Ropar MLA Dinesh Chadha during Question Hour. He said the government had charge-sheeted IFS officers Amit Mishra, Amit Chauhan, Geetanjali and Yog Raj Rathore under Rule 8 of the All-India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969. Both Mishra and Chauhan were posted as DFO, Ropar, when the land was bought.

The minister said a case had been filed with the Anandpur Sahib court for the recovery of sale amount paid to the sellers and cancellation of registries.

Meanwhile, Social Justice Empowerment and Minorities Minister Dr Baljit Kaur informed the House disbursal of SC and OBC post-matric scholarship amount of Rs 1,563 crore was pending with the Government of India for 2017-2018 to 2019-2020. Congress MLA Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal and SAD MLA Dr Sukhwinder Kumar said due to non-disbursal of the scholarship funds, private colleges were holding on to degrees and certificates of hundreds of students. The minister said no educational institution could withhold degrees due to non-release of the scholarship amount.

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