By : Arvind Sharma
Himachal Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau have arrested another PWD official in Dharamshala late in the evening on Wednesday, in connection with the HPCA irregularities. This time a serving XEN of PWD department in Dharamshala Circle, Devi Chand Chauhan was held after a brief inquiry by the Bureau.
Confirming this high level police officer, who do not wish to be identified said, “Chauhan was also posted in Dharamshala when M.C. Katoch, a former sub-divisional officer issued a certificate declaring a government college building comprising employee quarters located near the main gate of the HPCA’s cricket stadium in Dharamshala unsafe.
The building was demolished in 2008 and HPCA encroached the land there after. M.C. Katoch, a former sub-divisional officer was arrested from Palampur town by state Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau on Tuesday. Katoch was sent on two days police remand today.
Today’s arrest being the second in the link, and more are expected in coming days, said sources.
“A fresh land demarcation was carried out four days back by the revenue officials and found that the HPCA has encroached on 3,000 square metre government land. Earlier, it was estimated that the encroachment was on 720 square metre land,” said one of the officials.
The HPCA has been facing two cases: First, a case of cheating and misappropriation over alleged wrong-doing in allotment of land, which according to revenue records was common village land, to the sports association for constructing a residential complex for the players near its stadium in Dharamshala. Second, it has been accused of encroaching on 3,000 square metre government land.
