The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested Sukhdev Singh, a Chandigarh resident and key co-accused in the 2016-17 ‘Guava Orchard Scam’ in Bakarpur village, SAS Nagar. He fraudulently obtained around ₹12 crore in compensation, credited to his and his wife’s accounts, in collusion with government officials and other individuals.
According to a Vigilance Bureau spokesperson, Sukhdev Singh played an active role in the conspiracy, engaging in cheating, forgery, and record falsification, thereby causing financial losses to the state while securing illegal gains through bribery.
Investigations revealed that Sukhdev Singh purchased 3 Kanal 16 Marla land in Bakarpur intending to claim fraudulent compensation during the Aerotropolis project’s land acquisition process. He collaborated with the prime accused, Bhupinder Singh of Bakarpur, to falsely show Guava orchards on the land. He also conspired with the concerned Horticulture Development Officer to manipulate tree assessments, fraudulently qualifying them for compensation under the fruit-yielding category.
Further details indicate that Sukhdev Singh and Bhupinder Singh had an agreement where Sukhdev Singh would handle expenses, including bribing officials, while Bhupinder Singh would keep two-thirds of the fraudulently secured compensation from the Land Acquisition Collector (LAC), GMADA.
To facilitate the scam, the original Khasra Girdawri revenue register (2016–2021) of Bakarpur was destroyed, and a forged version was created in 2019. With the help of Patwari Bachittar Singh, land records were manipulated to falsely indicate mature Guava orchards. Consequently, Sukhdev Singh and his wife, Harbinder Kaur, fraudulently received ₹2.4 crore and ₹9.57 crore, respectively, as compensation from LAC, GMADA.
To transfer Bhupinder Singh’s share of the fraudulent compensation, Sukhdev Singh sold 6 Bighas of land in Chappar Chiri, SAS Nagar, at an undervalued rate to him in 2022. Similarly, 32 Kanals of land in Kailon village, owned by Harbinder Kaur, was also sold at a lower price to Bhupinder Singh.
Despite repeated Vigilance Bureau summons, Sukhdev Singh evaded legal proceedings, refusing to return the fraudulently obtained amount or seek anticipatory bail.
With his arrest, an additional ₹12 crore has been recovered, bringing the total returned amount in the scam to ₹100 crore, following the ₹86 crore already deposited by other accused. So far, the VB has arrested seven government officials and 16 private individuals, with further investigations ongoing.