M A I N   N E W S

Way paved for removal of tainted appointees
PPSC recruitment scam
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 8
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has cleared the file with regard to the removal of the candidates of tainted batches recruited by the PPSC during the tenure of Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu as its Chairman.

The file has been sent to Chief Secretary Y.S. Ratra for necessary action by the Chief Minister’s office. In fact, the file was moved by Mr Ratra, as head of the Personnel Department.

Confirming the signing of the file by the Chief Minister, Mr S.K. Sinha, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, said further action would be taken by the Personnel Department. The Government, he said, would issue an ordinance for the removal of candidates of the tainted batches.

Earlier, the government had examined the possibility of removing such candidates by enforcing service rules and Article 311-A of the Constitution. However, these options were dropped because of certain technical and legal reasons. The ordinance option has been found most suitable and legally tenable by the government.

Meanwhile, informed sources said the Vigilance Bureau had submitted a batch- wise report of the selections made by the PPSC to the Chief Secretary. It has pointed out the tainted batches. Action would be taken after duly scrutinising the lists of the candidates, it is learnt.

It appears that the first to go will be the candidates selected in the PCS (allied) services in 1999. Under this category come ETOs, Tehsildars and certain other cadres. There are about 45 such officers. The government had removed 28 PCS officers who were selected in the main PCS cadre and 18 others, who were nominated to the PCS on May 23.

When asked about the explanation of ADGP A.P. Bhatnagar, Mr Sinha said he had been given seven days’ time. “Let us wait what he has to say”, he added.

PSSSB ex-member held

Chandigarh, July 8
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau today arrested Mr Kulbir Singh Randhawa, a former member of the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board (PSSSB).

Mr A.P. Pandey, ADGP-cum-Chief Director of the bureau, said. Mr Randhawa had allegedly amassed property valuing Rs 2.50 crore, approximately, disproportionate to his known sources of income.

An FIR had been registered at Mohali against Mr Randhawa in this connection.

His properties included — a palatial bungalow in Guru Teg Bahadur Colony, Batala, worth Rs 1 crore; a 5 kanal 4 marla plot in the Urban State, Batala, worth Rs 50 lakh; a shop and an LML scooter agency etc. TNS