Amid protest, SGPC gives 6-year extension to ‘highly paid’ auditor

G S Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 21

Amid protest by members, highly paid Chartered Accountant SS Kohli was awarded extension in his services with a cut in the increment during the SGPC’s executive committee meeting held today.

It has been learnt that the executive members expressed resentment over extending the services of Kohli for another six years with an additional increment of 10 per cent.

Insiders told that the SGPC has been paying over Rs 1 crore per annum to Kohli for auditing and maintaining the accounts of SGPC and its institutions.

Keeping in view the discontentment among the members, it was ultimately decided to extend his services for five years with 50 per cent cut in increment.

Gobind Singh Longowal, SGPC president, said, “Kohli has a full-fledged team that works for the SGPC and other colleges and institutions. He also guided us about the taxes during the GST regime and his services are an asset for the apex body.”

Meanwhile, before the five high priests could take a call on Gurparsad Singh, an accountant at Takht Patna Sahib and son of the Takht Patna Sahib Jathedar, for his alleged indulgence in puffing and drinking alcohol, Longowal recommended that he should be dismissed without delay.

Longowal said, “Though it would be for Akal Takht or the Takht Patna Sahib board to decide on the issue, but as a member of the board, I have already conveyed to the board head Avtar Singh Hit that he should be dismissed immediately from the services of Takht Patna Sahib. It was very disappointment to see him smoking and consuming alcohol in the video that went viral recently,” he said.

The SGPC executive also paid homage to the CRPF personnel who were killed in a terror attack in Pulwama recently.

The executive also announced to exempt amritdhari (baptised) girl students pursuing BDS in Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Dental Sciences and Research, Amritsar, from the escalation in fee. It would be applicable to those girls who have received their initial education in SGPC-run schools and colleges only.

“Under the Mata Tripta Scheme, it was decided by the executive body not to charge the hike in fee from girl students who along with their parents are amritdhari. Normally, there is a hike between 10 and 15 per cent in the fee of BDS students,” said Longowal.