The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested Narinder Singh, Joint Director, Factories, Punjab Labour department, SAS Nagar after finding him guilty during the investigation. He was accused of illegally de-registering S.A.S. Nagar based Philips Lighting India Ltd.
factory due to which the Punjab government had suffered a loss of about Rs 600 to 700 crores and faced civil cases in various courts. The Vigilance Bureau has obtained a five days police remand by presenting the said accused in a S.A.S. Nagar court.
Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the VB said in this regard, the Bureau had already registered a case number 01 dated 05-01-2023 under section 13 (1) (a), 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and sections 409, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 201, 120-B of IPC in Vigilance Bureau Flying Squad-1, Punjab, S.A.S. Nagar police station in which nine concerned officers/employees had been arrested so far and in jail under judicial custody.
He further informed that during the investigation of this case, Narinder Singh, Joint Director, resident of House No. 1397, Sector 68, S.A.S. Nagar was named as an accused in this case on 31-03-2023 and arrested.
During the probe, it was found that on 28-12-2018, the said officer received an application from Sukanto Aich Director and Phillips India company which was addressed to the Labour Commissioner Punjab, Chandigarh, but Narinder Singh himself took action on this application without forwarding it to the addressee in his department, i.e. the Labour Commissioner Punjab.
The said officer through a letter no. 19 dated 10-01-2019 de-registered the said factory without any investigation or taking the statement of any worker of the said company and without the approval of the Labour Commissioner, Punjab.
Apart from this, copies of the de-registration letter issued on 25-01-2019, have been shown sent to the concerned offices of industries department, director factories etc. regarding the action taken, but the copies this letter have not been received at any office.
He further added that after this the Labour Inspector, S.A.S. Nagar had submitted a challan under section 25 (O) of the Industrial Disputes Act on behalf of the Punjab Government in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, S.A.S. Nagar on 27-02-2019 against Sankuto Aich and Amit Mittal, M/s Phillips India Limited, phase-9, S.A.S. Nagar.
It is to be mentioned here that if the said Narinder Singh had not got de-registered the factory, then it could not have been closed and the challan under section 25 of the Industrial Disputes Act would not have been issued and presented in the court.
Instead, before issuing this challan, the said officer should have investigated the case properly but he did not do. Due to the fact, the said respondents took advantage of this irregularity and filed a special leave petition against the Punjab Government in the Supreme Court of India on 05-08-2019 and obtained a stay against the said challan issued under section 25.
The spokesperson further added that during the investigation, it was found that if this official had not deregistered the said factory, the Punjab government would have got revenue of Rs 600 to 700 crores. Further investigation of this case was under progress.