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Haryana opposes CBI probe
Selection of JBT teachers 
Our Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, September 12
The Haryana Government today opposed a CBI inquiry into the alleged attempt by Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala to tamper with the selection list of the Junior Basic Trained (JBT) teachers in 2000 in the Supreme Court but said the state was ready to hold a judicial inquiry to be headed by a high court Judge.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Haryana, told a Bench comprising Mr Justice R.C. Lahoti and Mr Justice Ashok Bhan that there were three options open to the court. One, to recognise the first selection list; second, quash the entire appointment process; and third, order an inquiry by a high court Judge.

“Pending the inquiry, the litigation could continue as there are claims and counter claims about releasing the first and a second list for the appointment of teachers,” Mr Salve said.

When the counsel for some candidates, who had alleged that some politicians close to the Chief Minister had demanded Rs 1 lakh from them for putting their names in the selection list, said the inquiry commission would have no machinery to investigate the matter, the state government counsel said a Special Investigating Team (SIT) of the officials who were not under it should assist it as had been provided in the Tehelka inquiry commission.

Taking into account the submission made by the state government, the court directed it to put its suggestions in the form of an affidavit before the court within a week.

The court was hearing three writ petitions on the issue of the appointment of JBT teachers.

The initial petition, filed by suspended IAS officer Sajiv Kumar, who was holding charge of Director of Primary Education in 2000, alleged that Mr Chautala had “pressurised” him to release a “fake” list got prepared by him for the appointment of teachers rather than the original one which was under his custody.

Mr Sajiv Kumar, arguing his case personally, told the court: “If CBI inquiry is not ordered it will give premium to the persons involved in the case.”

Stating that the state government had “cast a slur” on him by putting the blame on him, he said only the inquiry by an agency like the CBI would clear the air of suspicion.

“The Chief Minister wanted that the original list be scrapped. It was prepared when I was not holding the charge of the department as it was kept under seal by my predecessor,” he said.

Mr Chautala, who was issued notice by the court in his personal capacity, had on the other hand claimed that there was no “fake list or second list”. If there was any, it might have been prepared by Mr Sajiv Kumar himself. Almost identical stand was taken by the state administration.

While the JBT Youth Federation in a petition had alleged that two local politicians of Gurgaon had tried to solicit on behalf of the Chief Minister’s OSD Vidyadhar for demanding Rs 1 lakh from some five candidates, who in fact had paid them Rs 10,000 in advance, 12 other unsuccessful candidates had in their petition alleged that in fact the “fake second list” was released for making the appointments, not the original one.

Mr Sajiv Kumar had claimed that he had refused to bow under pressure from the Chief Minister and had released the “original list” prepared for the appointment of 3,206 teachers in 19 districts in consultation with the District Selection Committees.