HSWC Recruitment Row: Now cops book IAS officer Verma who sought FIR against Khemka

The issue pertains to recruitment of two manager Grade-I officials (a class-III post) in HSWC in 2010. Both the officials, Pradip Kumar and Surinder Singh were dismissed from service by Verma on April 20.

In a dramatic turn of events, Khemka, accompanied by Home Minister Anil Vij reached the office of Panchkula’s Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohit Handa in the afternoon. Vij also holds the portfolio of Science and Technology, the department in which Khemka is Additional Chief Secretary.

They later held a nearly 25-minute long meeting with Commissioner of Police (Panchkula range) Dr Hanif Qureshi, in which Handa too was present. It is learnt that Vij rebuked the officers for not registering FIR on Khemka’s complaint.

Emerging from the meeting, Vij told media persons that he has issued directions for registration of FIR on Khemka’s complaint. “I do not know the contents of the complaint lodged by Ashok Khemka. All, I know is that he called me and informed me that he had lodged a complaint with the police but no FIR was being registered on his complaint. That is why I came here and directed officials to register the FIR. Otherwise also, even if a common man lodges a complaint with the police, an FIR has to be registered on it”, Vij said.

Talking to The Indian Express, Qureshi said, “Yes, we are registering an FIR on the complaint lodged by Ashok Khemka. The FIR is being registered against Sanjeev Verma and two-three others. The prime offence is fabrication of official records besides a few other offences alleged in the complaint”.

About the reference made by Verma seeking FIR on corruption charges against Khemka and three retired employees of HSWC, Qureshi said, “We are examining that reference too and shall be taking action as per the law”.

According to sources, Khemka, in his complaint has accused Verma and Ravinder of hatching a conspiracy against him. Khemka has also alleged that Verma misused his position as as MD, HSWC in conspiracy with Ravinder to file a false complaint “in an act of revenge and with a corrupt motive”. Khemka has also accused Verma of “leaking” the official documents to a set of journalists, particularly a reporter of a vernacular daily who further posted the said documents in two WhatsApp groups. Khemka also alleged that there were “material distortions and concealment” in police complaint filed against him by Verma.

Refuting the allegations levelled by Verma, Khemka said that the entire process was deliberately manipulated with “malicious intent” to frame him wrongly and to cause “wrongful injury” to his reputation.

In his complaint to the police, Khemka had also elaborated the sequence of events pertaining to the two recruitments made in 2010 when he was posted as managing director of HSWC. He also referred to the police report submitted to Lokayukta in 2016 in which the then DCP, Panchkula, while dealing with the same complaint lodged by Ravinder, had given the finding that “no offence was made out”.

Khemka has now accused Verma of acting in conspiracy with Ravinder, abusing his official position and attempting to procure punishment of a public servant with a corrupt motive. He sought action against Verma, Ravinder and others under various Sections of IPC including Sections 167 (Public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury); Section 182 (False information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person); Section 195A (Threatening any person to give false evidence); Section 198 (Using as true a certificate known to be false); Section 211 (False charge of offence made with intent to injure); Section 218 (Public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture); and Section 120B (Criminal conspiracy).

What is the case

Alleging irregularities in recruitment of two persons — Pradip Kumar and Surinder Singh on the post of managers Grade-I in HSWC in 2010, the complaint was initially lodged by a Panchkula resident Ravinder Kumar in 2016. He kept pursuing the complaint at various platforms, including police’s top brass and even in HSWC, seeking registration of a FIR against Khemka and others. After failing to evoke response, he moved a complaint in the office of Haryana Lokayukta the same year.

Based on Lokayukta’s directions, Haryana Police conducted an inquiry but found no merit in the allegations. In his report submitted to the Lokayukta, the then Panchkula DCP mentioned: “…no facts have come to fore on the basis of which members of interview committee (of HSWC) should be summoned or their statements be recorded…No offence was made out”.