Vijay Singla sacked as Punjab health minister over corruption charges, sent to police remand till May 27

Tribune News Service

Ruchika M. Khanna

Chandigarh, May 24

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said he has shunted out Health Minister Vijay Singla from the state Cabinet.

Also read: Before sacking Punjab Health Minister, Bhagwant Mann calls him to his residence and plays recording on demand for 'shukrana'

Singla was arrested by Anti-Corruption cell of the Punjab Police.

Singla was taken to the Phase VII police station in Mohali. An FIR number 65 under Sections 7 and 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against Singla. He was later presented before the court of Ravtesh Inderjit Singh, which sent him to a three-day police remand till May 27.

The Chief Minister said the health minister was involved in corruption cases and they had proof of that.

He was allegedly asking for kickbacks in a tender. Singla was allegedly taking one per cent commission on all tenders floated by Health and Family Welfare department.

Later in the evening, the Chief Minister's office sought the approval of the Punjab Governor for dropping the health minister, which was granted by Governor Banwari Lal Purohit.

Proud of you Bhagwant. Ur action has brought tears to my eyes.

Whole nation today feels proud of AAP https://t.co/glg6LxXqgs

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 24, 2022

Aam Aadmi Party is the only party that has the integrity, courage & uprightness to take action against their own on grounds of corruption.

We saw it in Delhi, now we are witnessing it in Punjab.

ZERO TOLERANCE FOR CORRUPTION.

Commendable decision by CM @BhagwantMann

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) May 24, 2022

CM Mann, earlier, said the decision was taken to ensure that his government remains free of corrupt practices.

“I am taking strict action against the minister. I am removing him from the Cabinet. We have found substantial proof of his involvement in corruption case. I do not care if the Opposition parties want to use this to hit out at us, saying a minister removed on corruption charges within two months. The point is that we will not tolerate anyone indulging in such malpractices. Our party national convenor has made it clear that corruption will not be tolerated. He had himself removed a minister in Delhi in 2015 after corruption charges were levelled against the minister,” the chief minister said in a video message.

Mann claimed that Singla had admitted to wrongdoing.

It was after over three decades that Mansa had a minister from the assembly segment. Singla had also got the highest number of votes in this election. The action happened in just two months since the government was formed.

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