ACCUSED MOVES COURT TO TURN APPROVER

MOHALI: An accused in the ₹1,000crore irrigation scam, executive engineer Bajrang Lal Singla, has moved an application to Mohali chief judicial magistrate to become an approver in the case.

The term approver is usually applied to a person, supposed to be directly or indirectly concerned or privy to an offence to whom a pardon is granted. The accused who becomes an approver is entitled to get pardon provided he/she testifies in the court about the crime.

The Punjab vigilance bureau had last year registered a case after an inquiry into alleged irregularities in allotting tender by the irrigation department came to light. In February, the VB had filed challan against contractor Gurinder Singh, named as main accused, executive engineers Gulshan Nagpal, Bajrang Lal Singla, chief engineers (retired) Paramjit Singh Ghuman, Harvinder Singh and Gurdev Singh Sian was named as co-accused.

The accused were booked under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

GHUMAN FAILS TO APPEAR IN COURT

Paramjit Singh Ghuman, chief engineer (retired), failed to appear before the court of additional district and sessions judge Monika Goyal on Monday, citing ill health.

The court was told that he has been hospitalised after which the court issued production warrants for May 25.