SC DISMISSES BAIL PLEAS OF CONTRACTOR GURINDER SINGH, CHIEF ENGINEER HARWINDER SINGH INVOLVED IN IRRIGATION SCAM

Directs accused to surrender within one week
Chandigarh December 7, 2017: The Supreme Court today dismissed the anticipatory bail pleas of contractor Gurinder Singh and former chief engineer Harwinder Singh who were involved in the irrigation scam being probed by the State Vigilance Bureau.

Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Vigilance Bureau said in this case the Punjab and Haryana High Court had already declined any relief for granting anticipatory bail to the contractor Gurinder Singh, Parmjit Singh Ghuman, Harwinder Singh and Gurdev Singh Syan (all retired Chief Engineers), Gulshan Nagpal and Bajrang Lal Singla (both XENs) 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 informed that while rejecting the bail pleas the SC has also directed both the applicants to surrender within one week and face the investigations. The Spokesperson said the Bureau had initiated an enquiry in number of works allotted through e-tenders by the Drainage and Kandi Area Divisions of Punjab 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 the above mentioned engineers of the department and allotted 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 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.

The spokesperson informed that the Vigilance Bureau has contested in the apex court that the accused were not cooperating with the investigating agency and could hamper the ongoing investigation, if anticipatory bails were granted to them. The SC after hearing arguments of both sides found no merit in the bail petitions of accused and has dismissed their petitions.

He further informed that the Bureau had also obtained arrest warrants of all the six accused from the trial court in this case so as to arrest the accused at large and complete the investigations. "To thoroughly probe the multi-crore scam more record has also been summoned from irrigation department to scrutinise the irregularities committed at the time of allotment of tenders and completion of irrigation works", he added.