By ARUN PRATAP SINGH
DEHRADUN, 8 Aug: After getting permission from the Uttarakhand government, the state vigilance department has registered an FIR in the Haldwani Vigilance Office against three IFS and a higher officer of the Forest Department in the corruption case in the Pakharon Range of Corbett Tiger Reserve. In the Vigilance investigation, these officers have been made accused in the case related to corruption and irregularities. According to Vigilance ADG Amit Sinha, an FIR has been registered against IFS Kishan Chand and other forest officials along with him after getting permission from the government.
Earlier, the government gave its permission for the trial of former IFS Kishan Chand and other officers. There was a case of irregularity in the construction of Tiger Safari in Corbett Park. Last week, the Vigilance Department had submitted the investigation report to the state administration and had sought permission for the trial from the government. A case was today registered in Haldwani sector by the State Vigilance Department.
According to the information, Tiger Safari was to be made in Pakhron Range, Corbett Tiger Reserve. Forest Department officials had claimed falsely that it was the dream project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and proceeded with the project without prior financial approval. The government funds were illegally used on the project. Many trees also were illegally felled. This led to the National Tiger Conservation Authority taking cognisance of the development. The forest department officials were summoned to reply. Along with this, the government also got a departmental inquiry conducted into the matter, after which notices were issued to several IFS officers and transfers were also ordered. On the allegation of corruption and criminal acts, the Uttarakhand government got the investigation done by the Vigilance Department.
In the case of disproportionate assets, IFS Kishanchand is learnt to have acquired property and assets over 375 times to his known sources of income. This was disclosed by the Vigilance Department in the investigation. Vigilance had started investigation against IFS Kishan Chand in the year 2019 for possessing disproportionate assets.
He was also called several times to record his statement. Now Vigilance Department has completed this investigation. Vigilance has discovered assets worth around Rs 33 crore to be owned by Kishan Chand and family. Of these, only assets worth Rs 7 crore are in the name of Kishan Chand. Whereas, the rest have been bought in the name of their family members.
Kishan Chand had installed Abhishek stone crusher in his son’s name and also constructed a big school named Brij International Public School in Piran Kaliyar in the name of his wife. A trust has also been formed in the name of his wife. Kishan Chand took a loan to buy the property in his name but it has not been returned yet.
Kishan Chand has deposited a large amount of money from the people in this trust. He has deposited this money while he was posted as DFO of Haridwar Division of Forests. Along with this, Vigilance has mentioned in the chargesheet that IFS Kishan Chand got their lands owned by the villagers transferred in their name in lieu of giving jobs to the people in Lansdowne Division while being DFO Haridwar. Along with this, he also bought a house worth Rs 2.40 crore in Dehradun’s Vasant Vihar colony. A loan of Rs 60 lakh for the house has been taken from the trust of the school. 1.80 crore has been taken from the wife’s account. This money was deposited a day ago by different people.
