The Hindu : `Conduits collected Rs. 22 cr. at Sidhu's behest'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 30, 2002

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`Conduits collected Rs. 22 cr. at Sidhu's behest'

Chandigarh April 29. Most of the recruitments, including those in Punjab Civil Service (PCS) executive cadre, made during the tenure of the arrested Chairman of Punjab Public Service Commission, Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu, were on ``money basis at the behest of the arrested Chairman.'' The allegation was made by two key touts to vigilance sleuths during their preliminary interrogation, sources from the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (PVB) said today.

Most of the candidates selected to various services of the State Government, including DSP and lecturers, had paid money, the arrested accomplices of Sidhu, Randhir Singh Dhira and Prem Sagar, reportedly confessed, sources said.

One of the arrested has confessed to charging up to Rs. 80 lakhs for the selection of candidates in PCS (executive). The sources said the duo were believed to be the main conduit between Sidhu and the candidates. They confessed to having collected about Rs. 22 crores at Sidhu's behest in the past five years. About 3,500 recruitments were made during Sidhu's tenure in Punjab, the sources added.

Dhira had introduced a large number of ``prospective candidates'' to Sidhu who was charging anything between Rs. 60 lakhs to Rs. 80 lakhs for PCS (executive) and PCS (judicial) services, the touts told vigilance sleuths.They alleged that 70 per cent of the money collected was being clandestinely sent to foreign accounts through hawala transactions.

The Punjab Chief Minister, Amrinder Singh, today said his predecessor and Akali Dal president, Parkash Singh Badal's possible association with Sidhu was being investigated.

``It is very unlikely that Mr. Badal did not know what was going on.

Investigations are on to ascertain whether Mr. Badal had any share in the monetary benefits derived by Sidhu,'' Mr. Singh told reporters here.

PTI

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`Conduits collected Rs. 22 cr. at Sidhu's behest'