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Journalism of Courage
The Parkash Singh Badal government in Punjab has handed out a prized government position to a former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge indicted by a Supreme Court-appointed panel for allegedly taking favours from the then chairman of Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) Ravinder Paul Singh Sidhu.
Justice Amar Bir Singh Gill has been appointed chairman of the Punjab Law Commission which will examine all existing state statutes and rules and recommend changes. The commission, which includes the state’s Advocate General, will have a two-year term — Gill’s perks will be equivalent to those of a sitting High Court judge.
Gill was accused of accepting Sidhu’s help in getting his daughter Amol Gill clear the Punjab Civil Service (Judicial) examination. She was among those officers later shunted out by the High Court.
Gill had retired after being adjudged guilty of misconduct by a three-judge panel for accepting favours from Sidhu, who is the main accused in the job-for-cash scam unearthed by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) within months of the previous Capt Amarinder Singh-led government taking over.
Gill was indicted by the then Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice A B Saharya. A discreet inquiry against Gill and some other judges of the High Court had been ordered by the then Chief Justice of India B N Kirpal.
In 2003, after receiving the report indicting Gill, Kirpal recommended the transfer of Gill to Guwahati High Court.
But, with the Guwahati Bar Association strongly objecting to the proposed transfer, the move was withdrawn.
Later, an “in-house committee” appointed by Kirpal’s successor Chief Justice G B Pattanaik inquired into the allegations against Gill and other judges and held Gill “guilty of misconduct”.
However, the committee, in December 2002, said Gill’s misconduct did not warrant his removal following which Gill wrote to Pattanaik informing him that he would remain on leave from December 16 until his retirement in May 2003. Thus, he remained on leave until his retirement.
Thereafter, Pattanaik ordered that since no judicial work would be done by Justice Amar Bir Singh Gill until his retirement, no further action was required.
