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THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS
50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

 

March 25, 2002 to
April 23, 2002

April 24, 2002 to
May 8, 2002

May 9, 2002
onwards

Sidhu helped people at Badal’s behest: Jagman
Ropar, April 24
Jagman Singh, once a main associate of PPSC Chairman Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu, who today turned public approver in the case, dragged the names of the former Chief Minister of Punjab, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, and a high court judge in the case.

PPSC to revoke Sidhu’s amendments
Patiala, April 24
Members of the Punjab Public Service Commission who saw their powers being subverted by Chairman Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu are planning to set the clock back by revoking the amendments curtailing their powers.

HIGH COURT
Chosen PCS officers barred from joining
Chandigarh, April 24
Taking up a petition seeking directions to the state of Punjab and other respondents to quash the selection of PCS (Judicial), a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today ordered that the selected candidates shall not be permitted to join, if they have not done so already, till further orders.

Further remand for Ravi Sidhu
Chandigarh, April 24
Punjab Public Service Commission Chairman, Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu, who has been arrested by the UT police under the Arms Act and the Excise Act was further remanded to 14 days of judicial custody today by a local court.

Pritpal questioned
Chandigarh, April 25
After Jagman Singh, the spotlight in the Ravi Sidhu case has shifted to ousted Secretary of the Punjab Public Service Commission Pritpal Singh who appeared before the vigilance investigators today for questioning on the “recruitment “ procedures followed by the commission.

Officers selected by Sidhu apprehensive
Ropar, April 25
The decision of the Punjab Government to cancel 639 appointments made by the Chairman of the PPSC, Mr Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu, has created apprehensions among many Class-I officers appointed by him over the past few years. The officers fear that the government may now cancel their appointments, too.

Rejected by PPSC, disabled girl joins IAS
Bathinda, April 25
Polio paralysed both her legs at the age of only 14 months. Nevertheless, it failed to deter her from taking on the challenges of life. Braving all odds, she became a college lecturer of English after winning various awards of best girl student, best debater and prizes in the quiz competitions.
FOLLOW-UP
But for an uncle, all desert Ravi Sidhu
Psychiatrist to examine PPSC chief’s low morale
Patiala, April 26
Punjab Public Service Commission Chairman Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu seems to be showing an interest in his principal avocation of journalism while in jail. He remains busy scanning both English and vernacular papers even as he has lost the battle to get medical treatment from either Chandigarh or Delhi.

IT Dept moves special court
Seeks cash, documents of Ravi Sidhu
Chandigarh, April 26
The Investigation wing of the Income Tax Department today moved a formal application in a Ropar-based special court seeking all cash and documents of financial transactions recovered from arrested Punjab Public Service Commission Chairman Ravi Sidhu, his mother and friends.

PPSC members for transparency
Write to PM for national-level guidelines
Chandigarh, April 26
Three members of the Punjab Public Service Commission — Ms Harjit Kaur Randhawa, Mr R.C. Gupta and Mr Amarjit Singh Chawla — have sought the intervention of the Prime Minister for laying down clear-cut guidelines at the national level to be followed by all public service commissions and other recruitment agencies to ensure total transparency in the system.

Bail plea of 2 Sidhu ‘agents’ rejected
Ropar, April 27
The District Sessions Judge, Mr Maghar Khan, here today rejected the anticipatory bail applications of two alleged agents of Mr Ravinder Pal Sidhu, Randhir Singh Gill and Prem Sagar, who had moved applications for anticipatory bail before the said judge.

FOLLOW-UP

Move to scrap PPSC selections
Punjab Govt may hold selection tests again
Bathinda, April 28
The Punjab Government is likely to initiate a move shortly to cancel all recruitments done by the Punjab Public Service Commission during the chairmanship of Mr Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu, who is facing trials under the Corruption Act.

SIDHU AFFAIRS FOLLOW-UP

Search on for more touts
One SSP paid Rs 3.5 crore
Chandigarh, April 29
The fate of all 91 appointments to the PCS, including 28 to the PCS (Executive Branch) and remaining to the allied services, made during the tenure of Ravi Sidhu as Chairman of the PPSC is uncertain. Also uncertain is the future of those appointed to the PCS (Judicial) during the same period.

Touts confess paying 16 cr to Ravi Sidhu
Kharar, April 29
A whopping sum of Rs 16 crore was paid to PPSC Chairman Ravi Sidhu by his two main conduits, Randhir Singh Dhira, a Deputy Manager in Markfed, and Prem Sagar, a petrol pump owner, for the selection of 28 candidates to the PCS and allied services during year 2001. Both were arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau sleuths from Chandigarh last night.

Deputy Manager in Markfed, Randhir Singh Dhira and petrol pump owner Prem Sagar, main suspects in the PPSC recruitment scam, being produced in the Kharar court on Monday.
— Tribune photo Manoj Mahajan

PCS (Executive) interviews cancelled
Patiala, April 29
The Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) today cancelled the interviews of PCS (Executive) posts, open to government employees, besides declaring the examinations of DSP, Deputy Superintendent, Jails and Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) null and void.

Home
FOLLOW-UP

Governor seeks PPSC chief’s sack
Sends sealed letter to President Narayanan
Chandigarh, April 30
The Punjab Governor, Lt-Gen. J F R Jacob (Retd.), today sent a formal communication to the President of India on the “misbehaviour’’ of Mr Ravi Sidhu as Chairman of the Punjab Public Service Commission and has sought his “removal’’ under Article 317 of the Constitution of India.

Vigilance nabs Kairon’s aide
Class III employee amassed property worth Rs 10 cr
Amritsar, April 30
The Vigilance Department arrested Nirmal Singh Bajwa, alias Nimma, district president of the Patwar Union and confidant of Mr Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, a former minister (son-in-law of Mr Parkash Singh Badal, a former Chief Minister) during a surprise raid conducted by Mr Tejinder Paul Singh Sandhu, Superintendent of Police, late last evening.

Another case against Sidhu, kin
Chandigarh, April 30
Necessitated by the growing ramifications of the country’s biggest ever “recruitment scam”, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau has brought under scrutiny all appointments recommended by Ravi Sidhu-led Punjab Public Service Commission by registering a fresh case at Patiala today.

Dhira’s Ludhiana house raided
Ludhiana, April 30
Following the return of some family members of Randhir Singh Gill, alias Dhira, the alleged main tout of tainted PPSC Chairman Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu, to his ‘locked’ house in H-block of Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar here this evening, local vigilance sleuths today raided the premises and confiscated a number of documents pertaining to details of property, both moveable and immoveable, worth lakhs, owned by him in different parts of the state.

Amarinder silent on Badal’s involvement in PPSC scandal
Capt Amarinder SinghChandigarh, May 1
The Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, has not yet revealed whether the former Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, is involved in any manner in the recruitment scandal pertaining to the PPSC. Replying to a question at a press conference here today, Capt Amarinder Singh said that the investigation was going on. Only after its completion, a clear picture would emerge.

PPSC scam: Dheera suspended
Chandigarh, May 1
The Markfed authorities have suspended Randhir Singh Gill, alias Dheera, senior branch officer, who is posted in Ludhiana as District Officer. A Markfed statement said that Mr Randhir Singh had been suspended with effect from April 28, the day he was arrested by the state Vigilance Bureau in connection with the Punjab Public Service Commission recruitment scam.

Jewellery seized from Dhira’s locker
Ludhiana, May 1
The Vigilance Bureau seized 84.5 ‘tolas’ of gold jewellery valued at about Rs 4.5 lakh from a locker of Randhir Singh Gill ‘Dhira’, alleged tout of Ravi Sidhu, tainted Chairman of the Punjab Public Service Commission, here today. The locker was in a branch of Punjab and Sind Bank opposite Verka Milk Plant. The sleuths did not find anything else of significance there. The bureau has also recommended that a case under the Excise Act be registered against Randhir Singh for possessing foreign liquor brands.
SCALE OF CORRUPTION: Vigilance sleuths weigh gold jewellery seized from a locker of Randhir Singh Dhira, alleged tout of tainted Chairman of the Punjab Public Service Commission, Ravi Sidhu, while Dhira’s wife Rajwinder Kaur wears a somber look. — Photo Pradeep Tewari

Former PPSC member defends son’s merit
Patiala, May 1
Former Punjab Public Service Commission Member T.C. Gupta today came out with a statement on the academic qualifications of his son Rahul Gupta to set the record straight regarding allegations that he had influenced the selection of his son to the PCS (Executive) in 1998.

Sidhu’s remand extended till May 17
Ropar, May 2
The Additional Sessions-cum-Special Judge, Ropar, Mr A.S. Kathuria, today extended the judicial remand of PPSC Chairman Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu till May 17. The judicial remand of Surinder Kaur, another co-accused in the case, was also extended till May 17.

Fresh warrants issued against Sidhu’s kin
Kharar, May 2
Mr Roshan Lal Chouhan, Judicial Magistrate, Kharar, today issued non-bailable arrest warrants against brother, sister-in-law and mother of Ravi Sidhu, Chairman PPSC, against another accused for May 15.

Shamsher to throw light on PPSC affairs?
ISSUANCE of non-bailable warrants for the second time in the PPSC recruitment scam against him notwithstanding, Shamsher Singh, a pharmacist with the Punjab Animal Husbandry Department, wants his leave to be extended to May 14 so that he can continue his pilgrimage.

Don’t disclose confessions: HC
Order to plug leaks in Sidhu case
Chandigarh, May 3
Issuing notice of motion to Punjab’s Advocate-General, Mr Justice K. S. Garewal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today “completely prohibited” the state of Punjab, the investigating agency and other respondents from disclosing the details of the statements and confessions of the accused, besides the contents of the case diaries.

Punjab’s hour of reckoning
Scam after scam after scam!!!
Prabhjot Singh
THESE screaming headlines in newspapers during the past few weeks have a common message — no recruitment in Punjab has been without a consideration. To get a job in any department at any level "one has to be either a moneyed man or an influential person."
SPECIAL EDITORIAL
No, My Lord!
Hari Jaisingh
LAW is said to be an ass. The judiciary keeps it on the right course. That is the reason why even ordinary persons not familiar with the legal tangles of scams and scandals proclaim faithfully: let the law take its course.

State gets notice in Sidhu bail case
Patiala, May 4
A local court today issued a notice to the state government for May 9 following a bail application moved by Punjab Public Service Commission Chairman Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu claiming a fresh case had been registered against him in Patiala at the behest of the state Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh.

Jagman’s judicial remand extended
Ropar, May 4
The local Additional Sessions and Special Judge, Mr A.S. Kathuria, today extended the judicial remand of Jagman Singh, a close associate of the PPSC Chairman, Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu, till May 19. Jagman Singh who has turned a public approver in the case, was brought to the court at about 10 a.m. as his judicial remand ended today.

Satyameva Jayate, assert advocates
Role of judges in PPSC affairs must be probed
Chandigarh, May 6
Launching an attack on judicial aberrations, agitated members of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association, at a meeting held here this afternoon, resolved to meet the Chief Justice for conducting an inquiry into the allegations against certain Judges reportedly involved in the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) scam.

Sidhu seeks transfer to Burail jail
Chandigarh, May 6
Controversial Punjab Public Service Commission Chairman, Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu today pleaded before a local court to detain him in the Model Burail Jail in Chandigarh instead of the Central Jail, Patiala, where he was presently lodged.

Jagman’s counsel seek confessional statement
Ropar, May 6
Counsel for Jagman Singh, one of the main agents of PPSC Chairman Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu, who has turned approver in the case, today demanded that his confessional statement be issued before the CJM, Ropar.

Dhira sent to judicial custody
Kharar (Punjab), May 7
A local court today remanded Randhir Singh Gill, alias Dhira, believed to be one of the key accomplices of arrested Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) Chairman Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu, in judicial custody till May 15.

Home

‘Right to information cannot be curtailed’
High Court orders clubbing of all Ravi Sidhu cases
Chandigarh, May 8
Acting on a public interest litigation for directions to the state of Punjab and other respondents for conducting “transparent” investigation in the Punjab Public Service Commission recruitment scandal, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today ruled that in view of the immense public importance of the matter, prima facie the right of the public to know, and to be informed, of a case like the one against PPSC Chairman Ravinderpal Singh Sidhu could not be curtailed in the name of secrecy of information.

    ‘Transparency is essence of democracy’
      Chandigarh page

Admn opposes Sidhu’s plea
Chandigarh, May 8
Reacting to the plea of PPSC Chairman Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu to detain him in Model Burail Jail instead of Patiala where he has been presently lodged, the UT Administration opposed his request while filing a reply before a court here today.

PUNJAB SCAMS
Dhira held in recruitment case
Chandigarh, May 8
While the Ravi Sidhu case and the recruitment scam have slid into the background over the past few days, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau has started investigating a scam relating to purchases made by the three Government Medical Colleges in the state last year.

PPSC to amend procedure rules
Patiala, May 8
The members of the Punjab Public Service Commission today decided to take the advise of former members, eminent scholars and noted lawyers to amend the rules of procedure which according to them had been changed to facilitate one-man rule by its Chairman Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu.

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