‘Harassed’ IG Shyam Lal Gakhar Get Eviction Notice

Sham Lal Gakhar, who as inspector general of police attached with Punjab Lokpal had charged the administration of distressing him, has bagged his prize: a note to expel him from the 3-acre authorized house.

The administration has given him a penal rent notice of Rs. 1.97 lakh for each of the six month peiod of overstay, whereas the going rental fee is just Rs. 3,000 a month.

He, at the present, is IG, policy and rules. In October 2011, as Lokpal inspector general, he was served a similar notice when leading a probe against CM Parkash Singh Badal in a case regarding the running of Chandigarh private buses in the state of Punjab.

At that time, Gakhar had charged the administration of distressing him. Later, he was transferred to the Patiala Range as IG, which allowed him to kept hold of the residence. But, after the creation of the SAD-BJP-2 government in the state, he was again sent to Chandigarh on March 23.

“We served him many eviction notices,” said AS Pannu, divisional commissioner of Patiala. “Under the new directions of the high court and government guidelines, we will use even force (to evict the house) and ask for attaching his salary.”

In the year 2011, the court of the subdivisional magistrate (SDM) forwarded the warrants of ownership, as the IG had overstayed in his administrative place. “The section estimated the penal fee for overstay on commercial basis that is over Rs. 10 lakh now,” stated a source coping with the estate officer.

Another around 20 overstaying civil and police functionaries have been notified to leave official homes. Deputy superintendents of police Tarun Ratan, Sewa Singh, Arshdeep Singh Gill, and Harvinder Singh (Tapa); former SDM Anil Garg; and Indian Police Service officer D Nirbale are well-known among them.

On orders from the divisional commissioner, the estate section has forwarded to the IG of the Patiala range to either vacate the house or stopped the salaries of law offenders.

Divisional commissioner himself will take action against the law offenders.

Despite a lot of efforts, IG Shyam Lal Gakhar could not be reached for remarks.