39 tainted officers taken off court duty

Continuing its efforts to take action in the wake of the Punjab Public Service Commission scam, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today decided to withdraw judicial work from 39 officers who had joined the state judicial service when prime accused Ravinder Paul Singh Sidhu was PPSC chairman.

The decision, formalised at a full court meeting held yesterday, also affects Amol Gill, daughter of High Court judge Justice Amarbir Singh Gill who is one of the three judges from whom work was withdrawn on June 29. The other two judges are Justice M L Singhal and Justice Mehtab Singh Singh Gill.

Amol Gill had topped the exam and it has been alleged that she was one of the beneficiaries of the scam.

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The decision was based on the recommendation of a committee—comprising the Chief Justice and some other judges—which is said to have examined the answersheets of these candidates and other material concerning their appointments.

Sources said the appointment of 18 other candidates selected by the PPSC to the judicial service, who were still awaiting appointment following the commission’s recommendation, would also be kept in abeyance.