Dismissed from the Punjab Cabinet over corruption charges, the ‘sacked’ Health Minister Dr Vijay Singla on Friday expressed confidence that he would come out clean of corruption charges against him. Singla, who was remanded to 14-day judicial custody by a Mohali court, maintained that he worked with “utmost sincerity” and has full faith in his party.
Singla, who has been sent to Rupnagar jail along with his nephew and purported “OSD” Pardeep Kumar till the next date of hearing on June 10, minced no words to say that there may be a conspiracy from some “outsider forces” behind the episode leading to his sacking and arrest.
However, he maintained strategic silence over media queries over Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s claims that Singla admitted to his crime. Singla was talking with the reporters before being taken to the court of hearing.
“I worked with utmost honesty in my department...I have complete faith in my government, my party, police and judiciary. We will come out clean,” said Singla.
Responding to a question, Singla said that there was no conspiracy in the party, but maintained that there can be a conspiracy of some “outside forces”.
Notably on May 24, Singla on allegations against him had said, “It is a conspiracy and an attempt to defame the party, and Mann sarkar (Bhagwant Mann-led Government).”
Meanwhile, the Punjab Police has sought the permission for taking the voice samples of both Singla and Pradeep — to which both agreed. These voice samples will be used to match their voices in the audio recording submitted by the complainant as evidence.
Notably, the first-time MLA and a dental surgeon by profession, 52-year-old Singla was expelled from the Cabinet on Tuesday by the Chief Minister over corruption charges.
Singla, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Mansa, was accused of demanding “one percent commission” in the form of “shukrana” in tenders and purchases by the state Health and Family Welfare Department, headed by him. Singla has projected his nephew Pradeep Kumar as his Officer on Special Duty (OSD), who was allegedly seeking commission on the minister’s behalf. Both Singla and Pradeep were arrested by the police in the matter.
Till Friday (May 27), both were in three-day police custody, and were sent to judicial remand after they were produced before the court of Ravtesh Inderjit Singh in Mohali.
Singla and his nephew Pardeep Kumar were booked on a complaint by Superintending Engineer Rajinder Singh, working on deputation at Punjab Health System Corporation. Rajinder Singh had alleged that the Minister and his nephew had demanded Rs 1.16-crore bribe as a commission of tenders and projects worth Rs 58 crore, including Rs 41 crore for construction works and Rs 17 crore as payment to contractors.
In the complaint, Rajinder Singh had also alleged that the two had threatened him to ruin his entire career. To avoid “mental harassment” caused by the constant pressure put by the two for ensure one percent commission in all tenders and projects, Rajinder Singh maintained that he agreed to pay Rs five lakh.
When he went to hand over Rs five lakh to the Minister and his nephew at Punjab Civil Secretariat on May 23, Rajinder Singh made an audio recording of the conversation.
Announcing the decision to sack the Minister and ordering his arrest, Chief Minister Mann had then stated that Singla had admitted to his alleged wrongdoings.
It has been learnt that the tender process for Mohalla Clinics have also come under scrutiny. Investigation is being done about whether bribe was taken from the contractors who have taken these tenders. For this, the records of three-month call details of the Minister and “OSD” are being searched after extracting the records.
