Punjab Health Minister Vijay Singla was sacked from the state cabinet on Tuesday and arrested on corruption charges, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asserting that his government has zero-tolerance towards corruption. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been in power in Punjab for barely two months. The chief minister himself announced the removal of Singla from the council of ministers.
Mann said the decision was made after he came to know that Singla was allegedly demanding one per cent commission in tenders and purchases of his department. The chief minister said that he has also directed the police to register a case against Singla. Singla was arrested by the Anti-Corruption cell of the Punjab Police on Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) orders, sources said. He was later presented before the court of Ravtesh Inderjit Singh,
which sent him to a 3-day police remand till 27 May.
“A case was brought to my notice in which one minister in my government was demanding one per cent commission from each tender or purchase of his department. I took this case very seriously. Only I knew this case. Neither the media nor opposition knew it,” Mann said in a video message. “I am taking strict action against that minister and I am removing him from the cabinet. I am also giving directions to the police to register a case against him,” he said, adding, “That minister’s name is Vijay Singla. He was the health minister.”
Mann said that Singla was allegedly involved in wrongdoings in his department and he has also admitted to the same. Mann said that it is for the second time in the history of the country that a Chief Minister took strict action directly against his minister. “People have formed the government of the Aam Aadmi Party with great expectations; it is our duty to live up to that expectation,” Mann said. Asserting that the AAP government has zero-tolerance towards corruption, Mann pointed out that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also removed his food and supplies minister in 2015 and handed over the case to the CBI. “I will not tolerate corruption of a single rupee. We want to turn Punjab into a corruption-free state,” Mann asserted.
According to the CMO, Singla was demanding 1 per cent commission from officials for contracts. The CMO said that concrete evidence was found against Singla. The Punjab chief minister said some parties will now point out that one of the AAP ministers was found involved in corruption within just two months, but then, “it is I who is taking action”.
Vijay Singla, 52, was elected MLA from the Mansa seat. He had defeated Punjabi singer and Congress candidate Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, also called Sidhu Moosewala. Singla is a dental surgeon.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said he is proud of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for sacking Punjab Minister Vijay Singla over corruption allegations. “Proud of you Bhagwant. Ur action has brought tears to my eyes. The whole nation today feels proud of AAP,” Kejriwal tweeted.
Kejriwal assured that AAP won’t spare even its own leaders if found involved in corruption. “Today, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann sacked state’s health minister…who’s been arrested. No one knew about this corruption, neither the media nor the Opposition. Had CM Mann wanted, he would have asked for a slice of it with a ‘setting’,” Kejriwal said in a virtual press briefing. “I will not spare even our leaders if involved in corruption,” Kejriwal said.
“Bhagwant, we are proud of you. The whole Punjab and country are proud of you,” Kejriwal said, adding that in 2015, after his government was formed in Delhi, even he took similar action against the Delhi food minister. “When his corruption charges came forth, no one knew. I took action on my own. The AAP is a hardcore sincere party; we don’t spare anyone,” Kejriwal said.
(WITH AGENCY INPUTS)