Sangat Singh Gilzian's plea: HC puts Punjab on notice

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 4

The Punjab and Haryana HC today put the State of Punjab on notice on a petition filed by forest minister in the erstwhile Congress government Sangat Singh Gilzian claiming that nominating him as an accused in a corruption case was an act of political vendetta following the change in the government.

Corruption case

• Former Forest Minister Sangat Singh Gilzian’s petition claimed nominating him as an accused in a corruption case was an act of political vendetta following the change in the government
• Senior advocate RS Rai with counsel Gautam Dutt contended the petitioner had not committed any act of “omission and commission so as to disclose any offence”

Justice Lisa Gill also fixed the case for further hearing on July 25. Appearing before the Bench, senior advocate RS Rai with counsel Gautam Dutt had earlier contended that the petitioner had not committed any act of “omission and commission so as to disclose any offence, much less the ones under which the FIR has been registered”.

The Bench was hearing Gilzian’s plea for quashing the FIR with regard to him in the corruption case. Submitting that the proceedings amounted to an abuse of the process of law and failure of justice, Rai contended that the Congress government was in power in Punjab from March 24, 2017, to March 11, 2022. The petitioner’s short tenure as the forest minister was from September 26, 2021, to January 8 this year. Thereafter, the model code of conduct was implemented. The present government came to power on March 16.

The FIR was registered on June 6 under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Sector 120-B of the IPC at the Mohali Vigilance Bureau police station, flying squad-I. Among other things, Rai submitted the allegations pertained to the felling ‘Khair’ trees at Nada village in Mohali. The bribe was allegedly paid to the petitioner’s aide. But he was made an accused.

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