Chautala’s aide,3 IAS officers in dock

The CBI officers,sources said,also questioned them about the recruitment of BD Dahlia’s son, Anurag Dahlia,who was recruited as an HCS officer in 2004. BD Dahlia was considered a close confidant of Chautala.

While all the officers pleaded innocence in the case,one officer,in his statement to the CBI,alleged that the criteria was changed at the behest of Dahlia so that his son could be recruited as an HCS officer. Anurag was recruited with three ‘outstanding’ ACR reports,while the precedence was to recruit a person who had eight to 10 years’ reports.

Queried on the issue,Sarban Singh said,“I do not want to comment,” while KC Sharma said that the CBI “had questioned me and taken my version. I am not supposed to be divulging anything to the media.”

The Supreme Court which is hearing the case had in March directed the CBI to complete the probe and submit a report within three months.

DIG,CBI,Mahesh Aggarwal said,“We are in the process of questioning a number of officers,who were associated with the recruitment at that time. We should be able to complete the inquiry soon.”

The case pertains to allegations of favouritism during the recruitments made by Haryana Public Services Commission in 2004,when OP Chautala was the chief minister. It has been alleged that the criteria was tweaked to get persons close to Chautala recruited into HCS (Executive). Anurag Dahlia was one of the beneficiaries. In 1999,Anurag was appointed as a Naib-Tehsildar under ex-gratia policy,against a post lying vacant in Rohtak. BD Dahlia’s brother DM Dahlia had died and his wife Savitri Devi did not object to the nephew’s (Anurag) appointment. Within four years,Anurag was selected as HCS (Executive) officer.

The then transport minister,Ashok Arora’s nephew Navin Ahuja,and some other government officers,who canvassed for Chautala’s sons,also made it to the HCS (Executive). Among those recruited were Prithvi Singh,who had been working in the then CM’s office for five years and Devi Lal Sihag,the then General Manager,Haryana Roadways,Hisar.

On September 28,2004,the state chief secretary forwarded a list of names to the HPSC for selection and the same day interview letters were issued. The interviews were held on October 3. Despite it being a Sunday the appointment letters were also issued and the officers joined duty the next day (October 4). Some of the overlooked candidates had then approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court alleging favouritism.