CKD chief gets 5-year jail in land fraud case
AMRITSAR: President of the Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD) Santokh Singh, who took over the reins of the socio-religious organisation six months ago, was sentenced to five-year imprisonment for fraudulently transferring a piece of land in his name. The court has also imposed a fine of ₹40,000 on him.
After the police cancelled an FIR against Santokh Singh, Manjit Singh filed a complaint in the court in 2006 under Section 467 (forgery of valuable security and will), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 465 (forgery), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 120-b (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian penal Code, said prosecution counsel Ajay Kumar Virmani.
Terming the court ruling as “victory of justice”, Varmani said that Gopal Singh and Bishan Singh, forefathers of the complainant, passed away in 1940 and 1950, respectively. “In 2006, Santokh filed a case in the court claiming that both the persons, who had died, transferred their land in his name in 1967 through an agreement. Manjit challenged the claim citing that both his forefathers died several years before 1967 and the agreement was not possible,” he said.
After examining the documents, the court of chief judicial magistrate RS Bajwa found that Santokh Singh fabricated the land related documents to grab it illegitimately.
Santokh Singh has been sentenced to five-year jail under Section 467 with a fine of ₹10,000, four-year-jail and a fine of ₹10,000 under Section 468, twoyear jail and fine of ₹5,000 under section 465 and two-year jail and ₹5,000 fine under Section 471 of IPC. Besides, five-year jail and a fine of ₹10,000 has been pronounced under 120B of the IPC, said Virmani, adding that sentences run concurrently.
“I am legal heir of Gopal Singh and Bishan Singh. However, Santokh, along with other family members, hatched a conspiracy to grab the land at Hear village near Rajasansi. I got an FIR registered against him but using his political influence, Santokh got it cancelled, forcing me to move court,” said complainant Manjit Singh of Rajasansi village.
Santokh Singh was elected president of the CKD March 25 this year after Charanjit Singh Chadha resigned from the post following the Akal Takht directions.