Charges framed against PCS officer in 10-year-old poaching case

HOSHIARPUR: Charges were framed against Punjab Civil Services officer Puneet Goel, who is now additional deputy commissioner (development), Mohali, in a 10-year-old poaching case by the court of additional chief judicial magistrate Lukhwinder Kaur on December 18.
Charges have also been framed against his Goel's two accomplices under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act.Goel was sub-divisional magistrate, Pathankot when he was arrested for poaching.
Goel had been claiming innocence saying that he was framed in the case. He was arrested for allegedly hunting poaching in the forests of Narur area in Hoshiarpur district on February 29, 2004, along with his accomplices Mohinder Pal Bhola of Hambran village near Tanda and Makhan Singh of Pathankot.
A report filed by the department of forests and wildlife in this regard said two peahen, four dead partridges, a licensed .12 bore gun and live cartridges were found in the jeep used by the accused. The forest officials were tipped by then honorary wildlife warden Gunraj Singh Saini of Hoshiarpur and Sukhdeep Singh Bajwa of Gurdaspur.