M A I N   N E W S

639 PPSC recruitments cancelled
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 22
The Punjab Government has cancelled the process related to all 639 recruitments under way in the Punjab Public Service Commission and ordered a probe into 3,446 recruitments done by it with Mr Ravi Sidhu as Chairman.

This was stated by the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, at a press conference here today.

Of the 639 appointments recommended by the Punjab Public Service Commission in five years, which were set aside by the Punjab Government today, only five pertain to the PCS (Executive Branch) and 26 to Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs). Twelve of the DSPs’ posts pertain to the Department of Prisons.

A perusal of the list reveals that there are 28 posts of school headmaster, 92 of principal (school and inspection cadre), three of principal (college cadre), 149 of college lecturer, 49 of veterinary officer and 17 of assistant director and vocational manager in the Industries Department, besides 144 positions in the Technical Education Department, including those of vice-principal, professor and lecturer.

The government, he said, was also seeking legal opinion from the Advocate-General before writing to the Governor for the appointment of an acting Chairman of the commission.

The Chief Minister categorically said that the government would not “shield” anyone found guilty of conniving with the commission Chairman. Under the law, a person who bribed was as much guilty as the one who received the bribe.

Without making any specific references, while replying to a battery of questions on the subject, the Chief Minister said that if he, as an “outsider”, could know what was happening in the commission, the then Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, should have been better informed. “He could have turned a blind eye with an ulterior motive or was not aware for five years of what was happening in the state”, he remarked. His attention was drawn to confessions made by one of the accomplices of Mr Ravi Sidhu, who had named several VIPs, including politicians, bureaucrats and judges.

Capt Amarinder Singh released to the press a detailed statement pertaining to Mr Ravi Sidhu after the registration of a case (FIR no. 7, dated March 25) under Section 7 and 13 (2) d, Prevention of  Corruption Act, 1988, at the Vigilance Bureau police station at SAS Nagar.

As per that statement, the accomplices of Mr Ravi Sidhu are Jagman Singh, who is reported to be willing to turn approver, and Ms Surinder Kaur Manchanda, who was a conduit for “hawala” transactions. Among those who have allegedly absconded are Ravi’s brother, Reetinder Singh, and his wife, Ajinder Kaur, mother Pritpal Kaur and associates like Randhir Singh Gill (Ludhiana), Prem Sagar (Moga), Dr Shamsher Singh (Panchkula) and Paramjit Singh Pammi (Chandigarh).

The list also gives details of the assets uncovered till date, including shares, property, bank accounts, bank lockers and cash recovered. All assets add up to Rs 25 crore so far.

Sidhu’s agents seek anticipatory bail
Lalit Mohan

Ropar, April 22
Apprehending arrest, suspected agents of the PPSC Chairman, Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu, have started approaching the Ropar court for securing anticipatory bail. Three such agents who allegedly used to collect money on behalf of Mr Sidhu for making Class-I appointments have already approached the Sessions Court, Ropar, with requests for anticipatory bail.

Shamsher Singh, resident of Panchkula, was the first such person to approach the court. His application was, however, rejected.

Today the application of Randhir Singh, another suspected agent, came up for hearing. The hearing was, however, adjourned till April 27. Sources here told that another person, Prem Saga, had also approached the court for seeking anticipatory bail in this case.

Meanwhile, in another development in main conduit of Sidhu, Jagman Singh, moved an application before the CJM, Ropar, to become an approver in the case. Jagman Singh had earlier moved the application for becoming approver before the Judicial Magistrate Kharar. Since the Kharar court was not competent to decide on the matter, the application was forwarded to the CJM, Ropar.

On the application of Jagman Singh, the CJM today issued his production warrants to the jail authorities directing them to produce Jagman Singh in the court of the CJM on April 24.

The sum of Rs 1,28,59,700 recovered from the kin of Sidhu was also deposited in the Ropar Treasury today. The Treasury Officer who received the amount in sealed packets told this correspondent that the amount would be kept in the strong room under tight security. The SSP Ropar has also been directed to provide more police personnel to guard the amount, he said.

Court orders opening of 2 more lockers
Our Correspondent

Kharar, April 22
Mr Roshan Lal Chouhan, Judicial Magistrate, here today ordered that two more lockers in the names of relatives and friends of PPSC Chairman Ravi Sidhu in two different banks should be opened.

The orders were passed here today, when Mr J.S. Punn, Public Prosecutor, moved an application in the court pleading that the accused Ravi Sidhu, had kept money in lockers. He pleaded that one locker was in the name of his brother Reetinder Singh in the Punjab and Sind Bank, Sector 22, Chandigarh, and the other locker was at IndusInd Bank, Sector 8, Chandigarh, and was in the name of his Mrs Pritpal Kaur and Jagman Singh. The court gave permission to the Punjab Vigilance Department in this regard.

Meanwhile, the same court issued non-bailable warrants for May 2 against Mrs Pritpal Kaur, Reetinder Singh, Mrs Ajinder Kaur (wife of Reetinder Singh) here today. Mr Punn and Mr Jora Singh Brar (DSP, Vigilance) informed the court that Ravi Sidhu used to deposit the bribe money in the lockers of the above mentioned persons. The court also issued non-bailable warrants against Gurdeep Singh Manchanda for May 2.