PSEB suspends 10 employees

Tribune News Service

Mohali, July 14

The Punjab School Education Board today suspended 10 officials and issued show-cause notices to several others, including retired ones, in the Rs 2.05 crore salary scam.

The officials who have been put under suspension are Gurminder Singh, assistant publication officer; Mohan Singh, senior assistant, accounts branch; Balbir Singh, senior assistant; Shubh Karan, junior assistant; Joginder Singh and Hajri Lal, both daftaris; Ram Singh, helper; Subhash Kamar, driver; and Satish Kumar and Mangal Singh, both superintendents.

In addition, the authorities have decided to initiate disciplinary action against five former employees for their alleged involvement in the scam.

These former employees are Maharaj Din, Charanjit Singh Chawla, Dev Raj, Manjit Singh and Mehar Singh.

The board authorities said that the names of Shubh Karan and Mehar Singh would be included in the FIR that has already been lodged at the Phase VIII police station.

Confirming the development, Dr Tajinder Kaur Dhaliwal, chairperson of the board, said that no guilty person would be spared. “We are looking into the role of other employees too,” said Dr Dhaliwal.

This action has been taken following the submission of the report of the fact-finding inquiry by inquiry officer BL Gupta with the board’s authorities in last week of June.

In his report, Gupta had held three employees Tarun Bhagirath, a clerk; Mehar Singh, a retired senior assistant; and Shubh Karan, junior assistant responsible for the fraud.

The inquiry officer has also raised suspicion of involvement of several employees of the board, including certain senior officials, the Government Audit Department and a public sector bank.

He had recommended that the case be handed over to the Vigilance Department or to lodge an FIR with the police.

The scam had come to light last year when the board’s secretary had pointed out suspicious financial transactions from the accounts of the board.