Chandigarh Forest Department Employee Receives Four-Year Jail Term in Bribery Scandal
A local court in Chandigarh has delivered a stern verdict, sentencing Amritpal Singh, an employee of the Chandigarh forest department, to four years of rigorous imprisonment in a corruption case dating back 11 years. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 30,000, refusing leniency despite the prolonged pendency of the case.
Details of the Corruption Case
The case originated on June 29, 2015, when the Vigilance Department of the Chandigarh administration registered an FIR against Amritpal Singh under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Singh, a resident of Sector 23 in Chandigarh and a Junior Assistant in the office of the Deputy Conservator of Forest, was accused of demanding a bribe from Kalyan Singh, a timber trader based in Khuda Alisher.
According to the vigilance department, the accused initially demanded Rs one lakh from the trader to avoid legal action for allegedly cutting trees without permission. Kalyan Singh had purchased trees worth Rs 85,000 from a local plot owner for his business when Amritpal Singh approached him, threatening prosecution and demanding money.
Investigation and Conviction
Despite the pressure, the complainant paid an initial amount of Rs 5,000 and recorded conversations as evidence. Unwilling to pay further, he approached the vigilance department, which set up a trap. The accused was caught red-handed while accepting the remaining Rs 5,000, bringing the total bribe to Rs 10,000 after negotiations.
Following a thorough investigation, a chargesheet was filed, and the court conducted a trial. After finding the accused guilty, the court emphasized that the 11-year delay in the case's resolution was not a ground for leniency, highlighting the seriousness of corruption in public service.
The sentence includes four years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 30,000, underscoring the judiciary's commitment to combating graft in government departments.
