Himachal Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau have arrested yet another PWD official in Dharamsala on Wednesday late in the evening in connection with the HPCA irregularities. This time a serving XEN of PWD department in Dharamsala Circle (Design ),Devi Chand Chouhan was held after a brief inquiry by Bureau. Confirming this High level police officer, who didn’t wish to be identified said, “Chouhan was also posted in Dharamsala when M.C. Katoch, a former sub-pisional officer issued a certificate declaring a government college building comprising employee quarters located near the main gate of the HPCA’s Cricket stadium in Dharamsala unsafe. The building was demolished in 2008 and HPCA encroached the land there after .” M.C. Katoch, a former sub-pisional officer was arrested from Palampur town (near Dharamsala ) 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 sq m government land. Earlier, it was estimated that the encroachment was on 720 sq m land,” said one official.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 Dharamsala.Second, it has been accused of encroaching on 3,000 sq m government land. The encroached portion is located near the main gate of the Dharamsala stadium.