Amritsar, November 5
At least 10 SGPC members belonging to the Shiromani Akali Dal led by Mr Parkash Singh Badal may be disqualified for claiming ‘double’ TA and DA and securing employment for their wards in violation of the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925.
The dates for hearing of the petitions by the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission filed by confidants of Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, President, Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, have been fixed for November 7 and November 11. The annual elections for the SGPC chief and other office-bearers have been fixed for November 12.
As per the Punjab Civil Services Rules, any employee who claims TA DA on a false bill can be terminated from service.
In one of the petitions, Mr Harjit Singh, has alleged that Mr Dara Singh Zira, member of the SGPC, had availed of TA/DA from two gurdwaras (Sahib Gurusar, Majidpur and Gurdwara Chhevin Padshahi, Ferozpore). The petitioner alleged that “the respondent, Mr Dara Singh, availed of TA/DA from the funds of the aforesaid two gurdwaras for the same period, thereby causing misappropriation of gurdwara funds, a clear case of embezzlement and cheating”.
Another petitioner, Mr Dhanwant Singh, alleged that Mr Bhagwant Singh Dhamot, an SGPC member from Ludhiana district, had claimed TA/DA from Gurdwara Charn Kanwal and Gurdwara Sri Degsar Sahib, Katana, on the same date. The petitioner prayed that the respondent be removed as member of the SGPC for a period of five years.
In yet another petition Mr Sarbjit Singh Gumtala has alleged that Mr Shangara Singh Lohian illegally purchased 560 kg of sukian rotian (dry rotis) from gurdwara Sultanpur Lodhi at the rate of Rs 4.5 per kg in the name of his son, Mr Jagtar Singh, in 2000 for a sum of Rs 2,520. The petition alleged that Mr Lohian used a jeep belonging to the gurdwara for ‘personal use’.
Another petition field by Mr Sandeep Singh alleges that Mr Kashmir Singh Gandiwind got a job of a nursery teacher for his daughter in the SGPC run Baba Budha Public School though she had applied for the post of a clerk.
Interestingly, a wrong affidavit was filed that ‘none of her relatives were members of the SGPC.’ The fifth petition filed by Mr Joginder Singh alleges that Master Preet Singh, an SGPC member (Ajnala), got the job of a ‘helper’ for his daughter in the SGPC run Senior Secondary School, Ramdass, in violation of rules.
Mr Harminder Singh Gill, President, AISSF and a confidant of Mr Tohra, had filed four petitions against Mr Sucha Singh Langah, a former Akali minister, Mr Darshan Singh Kaunta, Mr Dilbagh Singh and Mr Bakshish Singh Dharowali for organising 501 paths of ‘Ramayana’ at Dhariwal in violation of Sikh tenets.
