HC official got whiff of scam when offered bribe: Police
CHANDIGARH: A superintendent of Punjab and Haryana high court got a whiff of HCS (judicial) paper leak scam as early as August 4, when he was offered bribe by Sunita, the alleged mastermind of the scam, claim Chandigarh police.
As per the chargesheet filed before Chandigarh district courts last week, Sunita went to the residence of recruitment branch superintendent Ishwar Singh and ‘offered’ him bribe, following which he informed unnamed senior officials of the high court, including the registrar general.
The petition, filed by one Suman, alleging a scam was taken up by the high court on August 8 and adjourned to August 16, when the court issued notice to the high court administration on allegations. The same day registrar (vigilance) was entrusted with the probe by the high court administration. On August 28, the high court stayed the declaration of the exam result. It is to be recalled here that the complaint was made by petitioner Suman to high court in July.
As per the chargesheet, Sunita had met Ishwar Singh on August 4 morning in high court and had clarified to him about certain eligibility conditions. These conditions were discussed by Singh with Balwinder Sharma, the former registrar (recruitment) who is also an accused in the scam. The same evening, she went to the residence of Singh and offered him ‘bribe’. Singh brought the matter before senior officers on August 5, police have claimed.
As per the chargesheet, another official, assistant registrar Vajinder Singh, who also was suspicious of the activities in the branch with regard to the examination had brought the matter before an unnamed senior official.
As per the chargesheet, Vajinder Singh alleged that on August 2, after the completion of evaluation of the OMR sheets and preparation of final results, the guard deployed outside the printing room was removed. But when he deputed another guard, he was snubbed by the registrar.
The examination for 109 HCS (judicial) posts was conducted on July 16. The examination was subsequently scrapped.
SUNITA ROPED IN AN AUTO DRIVER
Sunita was regularly in touch with one Virender Kumar of Bapu Dham colony,who used to drive an autorickshaw through Jugnoo app in Chandigarh. Sunita got in touch with him seven to eight months prior to the paper leak. Then she started using his services regularly not only to go to her coaching academy but also for other tasks. In return she promised him a job in the high court. Sunita even made him apply for the job of a peon in the HC. Not only this, he procured SIM cards for her through which she contacted Sharma. Sunita even allegedly packed tiffin boxes and fruits for Sharma, which Kumar used deliver at his office and residence. This way, he would act as a messenger between the two, says the chargesheet.
THE OFFICIAL HAD SOUNDED SENIOR OFFICIALS OF THE HIGH COURT AFTER THE ACCUSED BRIBED HIM
SHARMA, SUNITA WERE TOGETHER IN HARYANA TOURISM RESORT
Contrary to Sharma’s claims that he didn’t know Sunita, the investigation proved otherwise. The police claim that the two stayed together at Jaat Dharamshala in Kurukshetra on specific days in May 2016, December 2016, March and April 2017 to plan the paper leak. Sharma had got the bookings done in the name of himself and his wife. The police gathered that his wife, who is a teacher at a school in Sector 7 in Chandigarh, was present in the school on the said dates. The attendance register of the school as well as the tower location of her mobile confirmed her presence in Chandigarh. The mobile location of Sunita’s phone showed her location in Kurukshetra with Sharma, say police.