FOREST HILL CASE-CBI refused sanction to prosecute KBS Sidhu ,IAS

CBI refused sanction to prosecute KBS Sidhu
Chitleen K Sethi
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 13
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Government of India, has refused sanction to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to prosecute Punjab IAS officer KBS Sidhu.
Sidhu, who is currently posted as Principal Secretary, Finance, was along with two Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers among those booked by the CBI in April 2006 for their alleged involvement in the Forest Hill Resort case of 2004. It was found that Lt-Col BS Sandhu (retd) had built a resort on forest land in Karoran village in SAS Nagar after “procuring” approvals from these officers.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed the CBI to investigate the matter. The CBI submitted the report to the high court in 2008 recommending the prosecution of Sandhu, JS Samundari, IFS, then Divisional Forest Officer, Ropar; Harsh Kumar, IFS, then Deputy Conservator of Forests, Planning and Investigation, Hoshiarpur; Sidhu, then Chief Administrator, PUDA; and Rajiv Bajaj, estate officer of the resort.
The CBI had, after investigation, demanded prosecution sanction from the Punjab Government for Sidhu and the two IFS officers. Giving the go-ahead to prosecute Harsh Kumar, the state government, however, refused prosecution sanction for Sidhu and Samundari.
In 2008 the CBI also moved the DoPT for sanction to prosecute the three officers, which was allowed for Samundari and Harsh Kumar (who are Indian Forest Service Officers). Sitting on the request for over two years the DoPT has now refused sanction for Sidhu’s prosecution.
Confirming this Chief Secretary SC Aggarwal said the Centre had informed the state about the refusal for sanction. He added that the Centre had in its communication to Punjab stated that the department had looked into the case and did not feel the need for the grant of sanction in this case.