5 Dariya News

HC declines bail pleas of contractor Gurinder Singh, five engineers involved in Irrigation scam

5 Dariya News

Chandigarh 15-Nov-2017

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today declined the anticipatory bail pleas of contractor Gurinder Singh, five engineers and an official of Punjab Irrigation department who were involved in a scam being probed by the State Vigilance Bureau.Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Vigilance Bureau said the Bureau has initiated an enquiry in number of works allotted through e-tenders by Drainage and Kandi Area Divisions of Irrigation Department to probe into the allegations in allotment of tenders. He said the vigilance teams have found that contractor Gurinder Singh was favoured by engineers of the department by allotting him more than 60 percent of total works by cost in violation of the rules and guidelines of the department in collusion with him, in the past.He added that in this case the HC has declined any relief for anticipatory bail to three retired Chief Engineers namely Parmjit Singh Ghuman, Harwinder Singh and Gurdev Singh Syan, XENs Gulshan Nagpal and Bajrang Lal Singla and supervisor Vimal Kumar Sharma against whom the VB registered a case u/s 406, 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, 477-A, 120-B of IPC and 13 (2) r/w 13 (1) (d) of Prevention of Corruption Act.He further revealed that many works were allotted to Gurinder Singh Contractor at higher rates by way of single tenders ensured by tailor made conditions and clubbing of works. "During the scrutiny of documents, it has come to light that annual turnover of Gurinder Singh Contractor have shot up from Rs. 4.50 crores to about Rs. 300 crores within a short span of time", he said.The spokesperson informed that the Vigilance Bureau has contested in the court that the accused would not cooperate with the investigating agency and hamper the ongoing investigation, if anticipatory bails were granted. The HC after hearing arguments of both sides found no merit in the bail petitions of accused Gurinder Singh and others, and has dismissed their petitions. He has also informed that raids are being conducted to arrest these persons who are absconding again.