HC disposes of plea seeking CBI probe

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday disposed of a plea seeking Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged cash for job scam involving state assembly speaker Kanwar Pal Singh Gujjar.

The high court bench of justice MMS Bedi disposed of the plea after the state told the court that a special investigation team (SIT) of crime branch, headed by inspector general Mamta Chaudhary, was investigating the matter.

Challan against five persons has been presented and three accused have been declared proclaimed offenders, state’s additional advocate general Deepak Sabharwal told the court.

Sabharwal said that in view of state’s submissions, the court was satisfied and observed that at this stage probe could not be transferred to CBI. A detailed order is awaited.

The petition was filed by one Joginer Singh, a Yamunanagar resident seeking CBI probe into the suicide of his brother Baljit Singh. The FIR was registered in the case in December 2016.

He had claimed that Baljit came in contact of one Ram Nath of Ambala who promised him jobs in lieu of money through one Wakil Singh. Wakil was associated with Gujjar. Nath reportedly collected ₹93 lakh from some youths, a part of it through Baljit, for giving them jobs of peon in the state Vidhan Sabha. But the youths did not get jobs and the money was not returned to them. Under tremendous stress, Baljit committed suicide in December 2016, Joginder had alleged before court.

It was alleged that the police were under pressure from Gujjar and since “high and mighty” were involved.