M A I N   N E W S

A Tribune Investigation
This Punjab welfare officer is beyond law’s reach
Son of SAD-BJP ex-minister chargesheeted thrice but reinstated
Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

During his career, Manjit Singh has been chargesheeted three times. While two chargesheets, one of absenteeism and another of rape, were filed in January and October 1997, respectively, the third one was filed in August 2003 — again for absence from duty. But on what pretext the official was absolved of the charges still remains a mystery. Punjab Welfare Department former Secretary TR Sarangal, who was transferred recently, claims that an inquiry did take place against Manjit Singh and that the then Additional Secretary TK Goyal was the probing officer. Goyal, however, denies such a probe ever took place.

For his part, Manjit Singh asserts that apart from Goyal, the then Director (Welfare) Indu Mishra, too, conducted an inquiry prior to “dropping the charges” against him. But, Mishra also denied the claim, saying the “clean-chit decision was taken at the government level”. According to Welfare Department sources, pressure from political bigwigs, including Gurdev Badal, led to the dropping of the chargesheets.

Gurdev Badal, it is learnt, was more than generous to his son when he was Agriculture and Welfare Department Minister in 1997. He “requested Manjit be posted in his personal staff”, something first denied but later accepted by Manjit. He was at the end of another largesse when he was reinstated in December 2007 shortly after the Akalis returned to power in Punjab. A month ago, the office of Director (Welfare) recommended that Manjit’s more than two years (756 days) absence from duty be treated as leave of kind due. This, if accepted, will mean that the break in service would be condoned. In that case, the absence will be treated as duty period while calculating pensionary benefits and the officer will be eligible to due seniority.

When contacted, Secretary R Venkat Ratnam said “he had joined recently”. And he feigned ignorance when asked about any recommendation on how the officer’s absence from office was to be treated. However, he admitted that the issue of dropping of the chargesheets was a “serious matter”.

Three chargesheets

January 1997: First chargesheet filed against Manjit Singh for remaining absent from duty. He was also charged for wrong recommendations for seven dharamshalas.

October 1997: Second chargesheet filed after his suspension from job following the registration of a rape case against him. He was reinstated in January 2001.

August 2003: Third chargesheet filed for not reporting on duty at Zira and Bathinda. 

Manjit Singh or Sube Singh?

Recruited into the Punjab Welfare Department in 1990, Manjit’s identity has always been a puzzle. Officials told TNS that “in their records he was Manjit Singh but that he was known as Sube Singh”. Manjit’s name was even recorded as Sube Singh by the police when he was arrested on rape charges in 1997. Manjit himself answered to the name of Sube Singh when he was rung up on his mobile number. Asked about this discrepancy, he said his name was Manjit in papers but that he was otherwise known as Sube.