SAND ‘SCAM’: GOVT DISMISSES CHARGES ON PROBE PANEL

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government on Saturday flayed leader of the Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha Sukhpal Singh Khaira for dubbing the report of the Justice JS Narang Commission in the sand mining auctions as a “scam”.

A government spokesman said Khaira was “indulging in political gimmickry by making such ridiculous statements without any substance.”

The spokesperson completely rejected Khaira’s statement that Avtar Singh Sandhu’s appointment as additional advocate general endorsed the fact that the commission was set up by chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh to give a clean chit to cabinet minister Rana Gurjit Singh.

Sandhu’s appointment as a law officer was made by an independent selection committee constituted under the Punjab Law Officers Engagement Act 2017, said the spokesperson, adding that the panel included a retired judge of the high court.

Pointing out that a commission of inquiry was a fact-finding body, the spokesperson noted that a presenting officer for the government was merely required to place facts before such commission.

“Where was the question, then, of Sandhu having manipulated the inquiry in any way, as was being suggested by Sukhpal Khaira,” asked the spokesperson.

Justice JS Narang (retired), entrusted with the task of probing all aspects of the said sand mine auctions and identifying irregularities if any, is a legal luminary whose credentials were above board, and any attempt to malign his reputation due to political motivation is shameful, the spokesperson added.