By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 19 Jul: BS Sidhu, a 1979-batch IPS officer, who served as Uttarakhand DGP from September 2013 to April 2016, has been charge-sheeted by the SIT for acquiring reserved forest land in Dehradun along with five others. It may be recalled that Sidhu had been booked in 2022 by Dehradun police, along with seven others, for allegedly acquiring reserve forest land “fraudulently” in Birgirwali area of Rajpur range in 2012, even before assuming charge as DGP. At that time, he was ADG Police.
The SIT has filed a charge sheet in the court against five accused, including former DGP BS Sidhu and has claimed that investigation will continue against the other five accused. It is alleged that in 2012, BS Sidhu had got registry done of around 9 bighas of land of the reserved forest area located at Birgirwali on Old Mussoorie Road in his name. Not only this, 25 Sal trees were also felled illegally without obtaining any permission. Soon after the matter came to light, an application was given to register an FIR against BS Sidhu, but no hearing was held. This land was registered in the name of a person named Nathuram two decades ago. Later, that land was declared reserved forest area and acquired by the Forest Department. However, using his influence, Sidhu allegedly found another person named Nathuram in Rasulpur village of Meerut district. Using his influence as a top police officer, Nathuram was allegedly pressurised by Sidhu to comply with his orders. Consequently, fake documents were prepared with the help of village head Chaman Singh of Rasulpur village, where this Nathuram was shown as the owner of the land in the Sub Registrar’s Office and Tehsil office and papers prepared. Later, Sidhu got the land transferred in his name showing sale of land and then the mutation of the plot was done in his name on 13 March, 2013. Against this mutation, the sons of the actual Nathuram, who had originally owned this land and were living in Kashiram Quarters on Dispensary Road, secured a stay from the Additional Tehsildar’s Court on 25 March 2013. During this time, persons named Rahmuddin and Haji Rizwan also surfaced and claimed to have power of attorney of the land in their name. Once the matter started getting exposed, Nathuram Second who had been shown by Sidhu as the original owner, filed a case against him in the city police station on 5 July 2013. However, during the period when Sidhu served as DGP, the investigation did not make much progress. Once he retired, more shady things surfaced regarding the “fraudulent” deal.
The SIT inquiry has been headed by DIG P Renuka. According to her, the former DGP has been made an accused in the SIT investigation along with five others.
This SIT had been set up by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. After nearly a year of investigation, the SIT has filed a chargesheet against five accused – former DGP BS Sidhu, Rahmuddin, Haji Rizwan, Subhash Sharma and Smita Dixit under sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120B of the IPC. Investigation is also underway against five others and, soon, they are also likely to be charge-sheeted.
