The News Freedom
Chandigarh, February 5
In the ongoing probe into the 2008-09 recruitment scam of Medical Officers (MO) conducted by the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC), the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has formally urged the state government to take decisive action against erring candidates. Following the directions of the SIT constituted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the VB has asked the police to take action the candidates involved in the scam. Previously on December 19, 2023, the Secretary of Health and Family Welfare had issued directives for the police to take necessary steps in response.
An official spokesperson for the state VB disclosed today that the SIT, comprising MS Bali, IPS (Retd), Joint Director, CBI, and Suresh Arora, the then Chief Director of VB, had been appointed by the High Court to scrutinize the recruitment scam. The SIT recommended filing cases under IPC sections 120-B, 420, 468, and 471 against candidates who had utilized forged certificates for claiming social work weightage in the medical field. The VB, on December 15, 2023, formally urged the state government to file cases through the police department against such Medical Officers(MOs).
In compliance with directives from the Punjab Government on December 14, 2023, the VB registered two cases related to the recruitment scam.
According to the VB, the first FIR number 45 was registered on December 18, 2023, at the VB Police Station in Patiala, under sections 13(i)(a) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and sections 409 and 120B of IPC against the then members of PPSC for conspiracy and criminal misconduct during the MOs selection process.
In addition to it, in another FIR number 46 registered on December 18, 2023, at the VB Police Station in Patiala, under sections 13(i)(a) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, against Dr. Satwant Singh Mohi, the then member of PPSC, for accumulating disproportionate assets, as reported by the SIT to the High Court.
The VB spokesperson further revealed that the SIT, under the supervision of the Senior Superintendent of Police, VB, Range Patiala, is actively conducting ongoing investigations in both cases. Dr. Satwant Singh Mohi was apprehended by the VB on December 19, 2023. The other three accused, D.S. Mahal, Ravinder Kaur, and Anil Sarin, secured interim protection from arrest from the High Court, with a directive to participate in the investigation, a requirement that all accused have duly fulfilled.