M A I N   N E W S

PPSC SCAM
Punjab to go by HC orders
Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 29
The Punjab Government will go by the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on the future of all those who had been recruited on the recommendations made by the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) during the tenure of Ravi Sidhu.

Besides, the government is also trying to gain access to the overseas accounts of PPSC Chairman Ravi Sidhu apprehending that many of the beneficiaries may have paid him through any of his agents overseas, including his brother, Reetinder Pal Singh, to counter the claim of certain beneficiaries who had been maintaining that their selection was “purely on merit”.

“We are certain that transactions made in overseas accounts of the PPSC Chairman and his family members will lead to startling revelations. Whatever we have detected here so far may just be a trailer,” a senior functionary of the government told The Tribune, on condition of anonymity, here this afternoon.

The Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, says that since the “matter is sub judice, the Punjab Government is waiting for the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.”

“But one thing is clear. The Congress government is determined to cleanse the whole system. As such, it is very difficult to distinguish between a meritorious selection and a tainted selection. If we have any doubt about any batch, the entire selection will have to go. We cannot make distinctions. We may not be able to catch all agents or touts and sub-agents or sub-touts through whom some of those claiming innocence now may have benefited earlier.

“After all, there has to be an explanation for all that we have recovered from the PPSC Chairman and his family members’ bank accounts and lockers. The bribe given by the tainted PCS officers is just a part of it.

“All administrative departments have been asked to look for the appropriate rules and provisions for handling all such cases ,” the Chief Minister said, maintaining that the public had been very “supportive of the drive against corruption. And I hope public support will continue as and when we act against others recruited by Ravi Sidhu.

“Today, Randhir Singh Gill, alias Dhira, wanted to make a statement before the magistrate. He may name some other beneficiaries. Those against whom we have evidence of having given bribes, we will initiate criminal cases. Those against whom we have nothing, we will allow them to take the test afresh, and if they clear it and get through the selection process, we will restore their seniority to them. This is the best we can do for those who claim they are meritorious and outstanding,” he added.

The Chief Minister said there were reports with him that a lot of transactions were done overseas. Money was paid in either the accounts of some agents or family members, including the brother of Ravi Sidhu abroad.

“We are trying to access those accounts. In case there are transactions from those related to the beneficiaries here to those related to the PPSC Chairman, the law will take its own course and criminal proceedings will be initiated against them, too. The scale of this scam is too big and too wide,” he said.

While the Punjab Government appears to be of the view that if left to act on its own, it will scrap all selections, numbering over 4,000, made on the recommendations of the PPSC headed by Ravi Sidhu, the other view that a distinction should be made between “tainted” and “meritorious” selections also appears to be gaining ground.

The PCS (Executive Branch) Association has taken the stand that those who paid to get jobs should be dealt with according to the law, while the others who got in on merit should not be made to suffer. The same view has been expressed by the PCMS Officers Association.

While the organisations or associations of employees concerned want the government to constitute internal vigilance committees or cells to scrutinise each and every case before initiating action, the government appears to be in no mood to accept this suggestion.

Even the suggestion of a personal hearing for each affected employee has been virtually turned down by the government, making it clear that the “fight against corruption will naturally take its own toll. Besides, only action will send a message in right earnest and will act as a deterrent also.”