Former Punjab minister Ashu's key aide dismissed from service

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, August 20

The state government today ordered dismissal of Rakesh Singla, Deputy Director in the Food and Supply Department and one of the main accused in the tender allotment scam. However, he has been dismissed under the Punjab Civil Services Rules for allegedly leaving the country without taking proper leave and approval. Singla is now believed to be in Canada, where he had taken permanent residency (PR).

Disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him under Rules 8 and 10 of the Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 1970, for having illegally/ unauthorisedly obtained PR in Canada. While all other chargesheets against Singla were dropped, this chargesheet stayed as he had refused to give up PR.

A favourite of former Food and Supply Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Singla enjoyed the final word in the department over allotment of any tender. The investigation into the tender allotment scam has so far revealed that Singla was allegedly “getting the spoils” from contractors whose tenders were accepted after eliminating their competitors.

As soon as complaints over the “preferential allotment of tender” were made to the new AAP government, Singla was not seen in the office here.

Though Singla was chargesheeted in five cases of having caused losses running into crores to the department, he was hand-picked by Ashu to head the Chief Vigilance Committee. Such was his clout in the previous Congress government’s tenure that all five chargesheets issued to him (before the Congress came to power) were dropped one by one, allegedly at the instance of former minister Ashu.

Despite repeated attempts, Ashu could not be contacted as he did not respond to calls. Though the former minister’s name is mentioned in the FIR registered by the Vigilance Bureau, he has not been named as an accused in the tender allotment case so far, confirmed a top VB officer.

“The investigation is underway. If the minister’s role is established, he will also be named as an accused. Today, we have got an extension in the police remand of contractor Telu Ram, whose firm got the tender for cartage, labour and transportation of grain from mandis in Ludhiana. His further investigation is likely to reveal the role of each person accused by the complainant in the scam,” said the officer.

He also said the properties of all officers named in the FIR were being examined to check if they were bought from the proceeds of corruption.

5 chargesheets against Singla were dropped

• Irregularities in wheat distribution in Rayya for causing a loss of Rs 10 crore
• Damage to wheat in Tarn Taran causing a loss of Rs 50 crore
• Irregularities in foodgrain procurement in Banga causing a loss of Rs 25 crore
• Failure in filing income tax returns as DFSC at Jalandhar, for which department paid a penalty of Rs 5 lakh
• A case of delivery of wheat worth Rs 61 lakh without requisite orders

Not punished for corruption

Rakesh Singla, Deputy Director in the Food and Supply Department and one of the main accused in the tender allotment scam has been dismissed under the Punjab Civil Services Rules for allegedly leaving the country without taking proper leave and approval. Singla is now believed to be in Canada, where he had taken permanent residency.