SATISH CHANDER AND ORS Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This order shall dispose of CRM-M-2447-2015, titled 'Satish Chander vs. State of Punjab', CRM-M-4224-2015, titled 'Joginder Singh vs. State of Punjab', CRM-M-4263-2015, titled 'Surinder Kumar vs. State of Punjab', CRM-M-4644-2015, titled 'Romesh Kumar vs. State of Punjab', CRM-M-6910-2015, titled 'Baljraj Singh vs. State of Punjab' and CRM-M-17951-2015, titled 'Gurmeet Singh vs. State of Punjab', as all these petitions have been filed seeking anticipatory bail to the petitioners in case FIR No.22 dated 18.12.2014, under Sections 409, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of the Indian Penal Code and Section 13(1) (d) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, registered at Police Station Vigilance Bureau, District Amritsar.

(2.) Brief facts of the case are to the effect that aforesaid FIR has been registered against the petitioners on the allegations that auction of 594 trees belonging to Gram Panchayat, village Mehrajpur, Block Dina Nagar was fixed for 30.11.2012 and reserve price of 594 trees as assessed by the forest department was fixed at Rs. 13 lacs. Since reserve price was more than Rs. 10 lacs, auction was to be conducted under the supervision of Divisional Deputy Director(Panchayats), Jalandhar Division, Jalandhar. The District Development & Panchayat Officer, Gurdaspur (in short, 'DDPO'), Block Development and Panchayat Officer, Dina Nagar (in short, 'BDPO'), Panchayat Secretary, Sarpanch and Gram Panchayat, Mehrajpur were also asked to be present to participate in the auction under the supervision of the Divisional Deputy Director (Panchayats), Jalandhar Division, Jalandhar. The open auction of trees was held in the presence of general public and bidders. The entire auction process was videographed. In fact, the last bid was for Rs. 27,51,000/-, but subsequently in the panchayat proceedings book, it was shown to be only for Rs. 17,23,000/- in connivance with the Divisional Deputy Director (Panchayats), DDPO and BDPO, Panchayat Secretary, final auction bidder and others. It is also alleged in the FIR that although the auction was for 594 trees, but 1350 trees were cut down illegally without any auction.

(3.) I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record.