Punjab's former forest minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot held on graft charges

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau arrested former state minister and Congress leader Sadhu Singh Dharamsot on corruption charges in the early hours on Tuesday, officials said.

Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring described the arrest as "political vendetta" and asked Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to let the law take its course and not resort to "kangaroo court justice".

The social welfare and forest minister in the previous Amarinder Singh-led government was arrested from Amloh.

Dharamsot's arrest came just hours ahead of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's visit to Punjab.

The former Congress chief visited the house of Sidhu Moosewala in Mansa on Tuesday to express condolences to the slain singer's family.

 

A few days earlier, a district forest officer (DFO), Guramanpreet Singh, and contractor Harminder Singh Hummy were arrested in a corruption case.

Both provided details of the alleged wrongdoings in the forest department when Dharamsot was the minister, said the officials.

Former minister Sangat Singh Gilzian, who was the forest minister in the Charanjit Singh Channi-led government, has also been named in the FIR.

Channi became the chief minister after the Congress unseated Amarinder Singh in September last year.

A few other persons have also been booked in the case, said the officials.

Punjab Vigilance Bureau's Chief Director Varinder Kumar said that during questioning of the DFO and the contractor, it came to the fore that the former minister was allegedly involved in corruption.

An investigation has revealed that Dharamsot used to be given Rs 500 for the felling of each tree, Kumar claimed. Over the time, around Rs 1.25 crore was given to the minister as commission, he alleged.

The former minister allegedly used to take money for transfers and postings of officials of his department and even for giving no-objection certificates, the director said.

His aides allegedly used to receive money on his behalf. Based on this allegation, a case has been registered and the former minister arrested, Kumar said.

Besides, Kamaljit Singh and Chamkaur Singh, who used to receive money on his behalf, have also been arrested, he said, adding Dharamsot will be presented before a court and police remand will be sought to further probe the "scam", he said.

The chief director added that a search operation is underway at the residence of Dharamsot and a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered.

Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring tweeted, "Mann sahib, as expected, you want to deflect the main issues of lawlessness, unemployment and interference of (AAP national convener) Kejriwal and others in Punjab by arresting Sadhu Singh Dharamsot.

"Let the law take its own course. Please do not make it kangaroo court justice. Political vendetta shall boomerang," he said.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha said the Bhagwant Mann-led government has zero tolerance towards corruption.

"Rampant corruption by former Congress minister went unchecked despite evidence. Only AAP has political will to bring mighty to justice. Today's arrest is reassertion of fact that @BhagwantMann has zero tolerance towards corruption, whether it's his own minister or former ministers," said Chadha in a tweet.

In April, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had warned of action against Dharamsot.

Dharamsot's name had figured in an alleged scholarship scam in 2020 following a report by the then additional chief secretary during the Amarinder Singh-led government in Punjab.

However, he was exonerated by a three-member panel of IAS officers.