The Punjab Vigilance Bureau, on Tuesday, arrested Forest Range officer Sukhwinder Singh for causing financial loss to the state exchequer by committing embezzlement of funds amounting to over Rs 52 lakh for preparing tree guards.

A spokesperson of the Vigilance Bureau said the accused prepared fake bills of bogus firms and withdrew the money by diverting government funds to different bank accounts.

During the investigation of this case registered on June 6, it was found that Sukhwinder Singh was posted as Forest Range officer at Budhlada in Mansa district from November 2021. At that time, Amit Chauhan was also posted as Division Forest Officer Mansa.

In 2021, under the compensatory afforestation scheme, the Principal Chief Conservator Punjab had given an approval to Forest Range Mansa for the procurement of 5872 cement tree guards out of which 2537 tree guards were to be prepared by the Forest Range Officer Mansa at a total cost of Rs 45,69,000.

The spokesperson said that under the said scheme, Sukhwinder Singh prepared 2537 cemented tree guards from two private firms – Ambey Cement Store, Channo, Sangrur district and NS Jain Cement and Accessories Store, Patiala – and obtained purchase bills from these firms.

During the investigation about the GST numbers and contact numbers of these firms written on their bills, it was found that no firm exists with the present addresses. The GST numbers mentioned on the bills were not issued by the concerned department which clearly showed that the bills were fake, and the firms were also bogus.

The spokesperson further said that the total amount of the budget was withdrawn in cash on the request of Sukhwinder Singh. During the investigation, it was found by the Vigilance Bureau that a Forest Range officer of Budhlada embezzled Rs 45,69,000 regarding 2537 cemented tree guards.

It was also found that in December 2021, Sukhwinder Singh had purchased bamboo tree guards worth Rs 7 lakh from a firm named Gurukirpa Bamboo Store, Mansa through different bills, but this firm was also non-existent at the said address and the PAN number written on the bills was also fake.

The investigation of the Vigilance Bureau has established that the above-mentioned officer in connivance with then forest range officer Mansa had embezzled Rs 7 lakh by preparing fake bills of fictitious firms, he said.

The spokesperson added that on the basis of all above facts and investigation conducted so far, proves that Sukhwinder Singh conspired with Amit Chauhan and others to prepare bogus bills of fake firms with fake signatures.

He transferred the government money to a different bank account and cash was withdrawn thereby causing financial loss to the treasury by embezzling the total funds of Rs 52,69,000 released to purchase different types of tree guards.

On the basis of this probe and misappropriation of the funds, the Vigilance Bureau has arrested Forest Range officer Budhlada Sukhwinder Singh. Further investigation, in this case, is under progress, the spokesperson said.