Chandigarh, June 2
The “judicial inquiry” ordered by the Punjab Government into the irregularities in the selection and purchase of various books by the Education Department seems to be nothing more than a departmental probe.

Official sources say there is a set procedure for ordering a judicial inquiry. This includes preparation of a memorandum for being presented to the Cabinet for approval. This is then sent to the Legal Remembrance Department and after it being duly vetted, a notification is issued on behalf of the Governor.

Such inquiries are conducted under the Commission of Inquiries Act, 1952. Any individual can approach such a committee and present his point of view. The scope of the inquiry is thus widened.

However, in the inquiry ordered by the Punjab Government, the Principal Secretary, Education, has issued an order. The Principal Secretary, who reports to Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka, who himself is in the eye of a storm, has appointed an inquiry officer to probe into the purchase of library books, science kits and map masters. The order states that the ambit of the inquiry will include the role of any person in these purchases.

Sources said the inquiry procedure was loaded in favour of the Education Minister with it being already clear that he had not purchased any books. That was done by various committees appointed by him. The inquiry seeks to probe the purchase of books from the State Language Department, some of which have been found to be substandard by the Education Minister. These were purchased by Director-General of School Education (DGSE) Kahan Singh Pannu, who is said to have exposed the work of the committees and prevented a major scam.

Sources said an inquiry initiated through an office order issued by an officer subservient to the minister whose role it sought to probe could hardly be called a “judicial inquiry”, despite it being conducted by a retired judge.

Punjab Congress spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira said it was “shocking” that the terms of reference of the inquiry did not include the name of the Education Minister. He said the inquiry did not include the disbursement of Rs 750-crore Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan fund during the tenure of Parampal Kaur, Additional DGSE and daughter-in-law of the Education Minister.

Harcharan Bains, national adviser on media affairs to the Chief Minister, claimed it was a judicial inquiry as a retired judge, who was from outside the department, was heading it. 

The terms of reference of the inquiry do not include the name of Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka (pic)

These also do not include the disbursement of `750-crore Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan fund during the tenure of Parampal Kaur, Additional DGSE and daughter-in-law of the Education Minister

The “office order” has limited the scope of inquiry to fixing responsibility of the DGSE and other officials in order to give a clean chit to the Education Minister