Munish Sood
Una, Himachal Pradesh
Allegations of large-scale corruption have been levelled against a former senior officer of the Forest Department in Una district, with claims that the official accumulated assets far exceeding his known sources of income while holding public office.
The allegations were brought into the public domain by Manoj Kaushal, a retired Army Intelligence officer and RTI activist, who addressed mediapersons in Una on Wednesday. Kaushal alleged that a retired Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Una Forest Division acquired substantial land holdings during his tenure by allegedly misrepresenting facts at multiple locations.
According to Kaushal, documentary evidence in his possession indicates irregularities in land transactions carried out by the officer while serving in the department. He claimed that these acquisitions raise serious questions about the legitimacy of the assets and point towards possible abuse of official position.
Claims of Disproportionate Assets Surface
Detailing the alleged extent of property accumulation, Kaushal said the former DFO is believed to have acquired nearly 150 kanals of land, based on records already compiled by him. He further claimed that this figure may increase as additional properties at other locations are also suspected.
Kaushal alleged that the officer adopted a consistent method while purchasing land by declaring himself a local resident of the area concerned. He claimed that this approach was used repeatedly across several villages and towns in Una and Hamirpur districts, facilitating the purchase of land at multiple sites.
Multiple Locations Named
Providing specific details, Kaushal alleged that around 100 kanals of land were purchased in Panjawar, while approximately 40 kanals were acquired in Pandoga. He further alleged that the officer owns land near Bharwal Hospital in Una, in Rakkar Colony near Dayal Hotel, along the Dehlan National Highway, and at various locations in Hamirpur district.
According to Kaushal, several of these land parcels now feature large residential structures, indicating significant investment after the purchases were made.
Link to Industrial Area Approval
Raising concerns over a possible conflict of interest, Kaushal alleged that the approval of the Pandoga Industrial Area took place during the same period when the officer was serving as DFO. He claimed that land purchases in the area coincided with this approval process.
Kaushal said the land acquisitions occurred between 2014 and 2020, and that construction activity on these properties was undertaken subsequently, adding to suspicions of misuse of official authority.
Vigilance, CM Portal Approached
Kaushal informed that he had initially submitted a complaint regarding the matter on the Chief Minister’s grievance portal. He added that a detailed complaint, supported by documents, has now been formally submitted to the State Vigilance Department for further action.
He further stated that he plans to obtain the circle rates applicable at the time of land purchases through the RTI Act. According to him, this information would help establish the actual valuation of the properties and could expose the scale of the alleged corruption.
Calling for accountability, Kaushal said only a fair, impartial, and transparent inquiry can determine the truth behind the allegations and restore public confidence in public institutions.
No response was available from the Forest Department or the concerned officer at the time of filing this report.
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