The alleged scam dates back to the 15th Vidhan Sabha (2017–2022), when Congress was in power; three years after promises, probe remains stagnant.
CHANDIGARH: Three years after Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan vowed to expose the recruitment scam in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, not a single concrete step has followed his promises. What began with loud declarations has ended in quiet retreat — tall claims, no results.
In 2022, Sandhwan publicly admitted receiving complaints about large-scale irregularities in appointments made during the tenure of former Speaker Rana K.P. Singh. Acknowledging the issue, he claimed that the Vigilance Bureau couldn’t investigate the matter due to jurisdictional limitations and instead promised the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT). He asserted that the scam would be thoroughly probed and those responsible would be held accountable — irrespective of political affiliation.
But three years later, there is no SIT, no probe, and no action. The Speaker’s office, which once spoke of transparency and justice, has maintained complete silence. Neither has it initiated any internal investigation nor allowed any external agency to look into the matter.
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau’s request in 2023 to begin an inquiry under Section 17-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act was stalled indefinitely. Citing constitutional boundaries, the Vidhan Sabha Secretariat denied the Bureau access, and no legislative change was even considered to enable an independent probe. Vidhan Sabha Secretary Ramlok Khattana recently confirmed that unless specific provisions are amended, the Vigilance Bureau cannot intervene — effectively keeping the door closed.
In the absence of any investigation, what has unfolded is a pattern of arm-twisting those who were allegedly hired through illegitimate means. The alleged scam dates back to the 15th Vidhan Sabha (2017–2022), when Congress was in power. Over 150 individuals were reportedly recruited as clerks, peons, stenographers, reporters, and personal staff — many of them relatives of prominent Congress leaders, including Rana K.P. Singh, Manpreet Badal, Ajaib Singh Bhatti, and Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.
Preliminary findings by the Vigilance Bureau — before it was blocked — revealed serious discrepancies: more than 1,800 candidates interviewed on a single day, no reservation policy followed, interview-based selections without written exams, and temporary posts quietly turned into permanent ones. In one instance, a Deputy Speaker’s cook was adjusted as a clerk. In another, a niece of then Speaker Rana K.P. Singh was appointed directly.
Despite these serious allegations and Sandhwan’s public posturing, no official probe was launched. No internal committee was constituted, and no report has been tabled. RTIs seeking information on the investigation’s progress have gone unanswered or received vague replies.