M A I N   N E W S

PPSC Secretary ‘burnt’ record
Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

Patiala, March 28
The Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) will meet on April 1 to deliberate on the alleged burning of the record of the Commission on two occasions in the recent past, and the mode of functioning of the PPSC after the arrest of the Chairman.

According to sources, four out of the five members of the Commission have also written to the Secretary, PPSC, asking which documents were burnt during two occasions. The letter, which has been signed by the members of the Commission — Mr Amarjit Singh Chawla, Ms Harjit Kaur Randhawa, Mr R.C. Gupta and Maj-Gen (retd) G.S. Riar has asked the Secretary, PPSC, to disclose the documents which were burnt on both occasions. It was claimed by the members that on one occasion around 15 days ago, record of the Commission was burnt from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. and on another for a shorter period.

The letter was written to the Secretary, PPSC, yesterday after the members held a meeting to discuss the situation following the arrest of the Chairman. The meeting also discussed information regarding the burning of the documents allegedly by the Secretary and two others. In the letter, the members said he should disclose on whose authority the record had been burnt. The members have also demanded the list of persons present when the documents were burnt.

Sidhu taken to vigilance cell
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, March 28
PPSC Chairman Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu was today taken to the vigilance cell of the Punjab Vigilance Department in the Phase 8 police station here. He was taken to the police station after he was medically examined at the GMCH in Sector 32, Chandigarh.

Mr Sidhu had been arrested by the Vigilance Department on March 26 while accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh. He had earlier been admitted at the GMCH after he complained of chest pain and anxiety. 

Kasauli, March 28
Punjab police officials who visited the town yesterday ordered the security men camping at the house of the arrested PPSC Chairman, Mr Ravinderpal Singh Sidhu, to return to Punjab as no security was required here. 

The PPSC Chairman, who is constructing a house here for the past more than a year, had permanently posted armed security belonging to the Punjab police. A vigilance team from Punjab comprising engineers and other technical experts raided the house of Mr Sidhu here today. The team assessed the value of the house.