Recruitment scam: Chautala loyalist Bangar acquitted

PANCHKULA: In a setback to the state vigilance bureau (VB), a local court on Wednesday acquitted KC Bangar, former chairman of Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC), and five others of the charges of cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy and Prevention of Corruption Act in connection with faulty recruitment of three engineers in 2004. Bangar, a loyalist of former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, had served HPSC chairman during his tenure between 2000 and 2005.

Besides Banger, the then members of the commission — Mohinder Shastri and Avtar Singh — were also acquitted along with three environmental engineers of Haryana Pollution Control department—krishan Kumar, Phool Kumar and Shishpal. The case was registered against them at Panchkula vigilance police station under the Congress regime in 2007 after the state vigilance report revealed that Bangar along with Shastri and Avtar Singh recruited these three engineers by relaxing their age limit. They were accused of issuing a corrigendum dated October 29, 2004 vide which five years’ relaxation in age was given for the government board and corporation employees whereas there were no such rules and instructions issued by Haryana, the vigilance report then said.

The chargesheet was filed in 2010 but the matter remained pending at the Punjab and Haryana high court. Finally, charges were framed in April 2016.

PETITION STATES ALL APPLICANTS WERE MADE DSPS ON DIFFERENT DATES AND PROMOTED FROM STATE POLICE TO THE IPS