Mohali Mayor suspended for misusing power

The Mayor of Punjab's Mohali Municipal Corporation, adjoining here, was suspended on Thursday for misusing power and causing loss to the state exchequer, an official statement said.

"Corrupt practices would not be tolerated at any cost and as part of this commitment the Mayor of Municipal Corporation of Mohali, Kulwant Singh has been suspended along with three other officers," Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said, as per the statement.

He said the case recommending suspension of the then Commissioner has been sent to the government. Apart from this, two other officials have been chargesheeted too.

Sidhu said it had come to the notice of the department the Mayor in connivance with Commissioner Rajesh Dhiman and other officials indulged in blatant misuse of his position and caused a loss to the state exchequer while making purchase of a tree pruning machine.

The machine was priced at Rs 28 lakh in the country and available for Rs 80 lakh from abroad. But a resolution was passed for purchasing it at exorbitant price of Rs 1.79 crore and orders were placed for its purchase.

The minister said the department got the probe conducted from the vigilance cell and the orders initiating action have been issued against them on the basis of a report of the Chief Vigilance Officer.

Coloniser-turned-politician and Akali Dal rebel Kulwant Singh was elected as Mohali's first Mayor in August 2015.

--IANS

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