Forest scam: Innova 'bought with tainted money' traced to Ludhiana

Tribune News Service

Ropar, September 2

The blacklisted Innova Crysta, allegedly bought with tainted money in the land purchase scam of the Forest Department, has been traced to Ludhaina district. The car was being used by former Ropar MLA Amarjeet Singh Sandoa.

The Vigilance Bureau (VB) sleuths brought it to police station today as it was a property in an ongoing case.

A case was registered at Nupur Bedi police station on June 29 this year, following a report submitted by Ropar DC containing several allegations, including that the Punjab State Forest Coroparation had bought 54 acres and 8 marla land at Karura village in the district from Daljit Singh Bhinder and his brother Amarinder Singh Bhinder at a price of Rs 9,90,000 per acre, despite the collector rate in the area being a mere Rs 90,000 per acre.

Probe revealed that the car was purchased in October 2020 by Sandoa’s father-in-law, Mohan Singh, with money sent directly to the account of the car dealer by one of the suspects in the scam. Sandoa said it was a conspiracy by his rivals and plead his innocence. On August 26, Ropar SDM blacklisted the car after the owner failed in producing it before the VB.

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