More trouble for Punjab cadre 3 ex IAS officers, 2 ex ministers; vigilance issued look out circular
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in
As per available information, the Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann has acceded to the demand of Punjab vigilance bureau and allows doing a fresh inquiry into a multi crore irrigation scam that rocked the state during SAD-BJP regime.
Now, in a latest development the Punjab vigilance bureau (VB) has issued a look-out circular (LOC) against 3 ex IAS officers and 2 ministers, key accused in the multi crore scam.
A look-out circular is a letter that the authorities used to keep a check on overseas travel by a person who is ‘wanted’ by any agency or the police. It can be used in immigration checks at international borders to prevent such a person from travelling abroad.
The names of former Akali ministers Janmeja Singh Sekhon and Sharanjit Singh Dhillon and ex-IAS officers Sarvesh Kaushal, KBS Sidhu and Kahan Singh Pannu had surfaced in the alleged ₹1,200-crore irrigation scam.
The VB senior officer “The bureau has got the permission under Section 17-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act to probe against IAS officers and akali dal leaders.
Around a month ago, Sharanjit Singh Dhillon , who is accused in the Punjab Irrigation Scam had claimed to be a victim of political vendetta. He had said the case had caused him immense mental agony. He had denied any wrongdoing or a scam and said it was all contrived by the then bureaucratic machinery under Congress government to malign the image of SAD leaders.
Dhillon said since the new Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) government has come into power riding on the promise of giving honest administration, he expected justice and a closure to the chapter.
The file was moved during the tenure of former CM Captain Amarinder Singh, but he reportedly didn’t accord the approval to the VB to probe the role of IAS officers, while the file of politicians kept hanging fire in the office of the then parliamentary affairs minister. The Charanjit Singh Channi-led government also didn’t give the approval for the VB to probe in the case.
But, after the AAP came into power in Punjab, the CM, who holds the portfolio of the vigilance department, has approved the fresh inquiry in the matter.
More trouble for Punjab cadre 3 ex IAS officers, 2 ex ministers; vigilance issued look out circular as the Punjab irrigation scam took place during the tenure of SAD government from 2007 to 2017. The case was registered against the five suspects under The Prevention of Corruption Act and other sections of the Indian Penal Code at the Vigilance Police Station in Mohali.
September 18,2022
