ETO dismissed, 4 other officials compulsorily retired in Pb

Punjab government today ordered immediate dismissal of one Excise and Taxation Officer (ETO) and also compulsorily retired one Assistant Excise & Taxation Commissioner (AETC) and three ETOs on the alleged charges of corruption and non performance.
ETO Baljinder Singh, who was recruited in 2012 and was still under probation, has been dismissed from services after he was found guilty in a corruption case, an official spokesperson of Punjab Excise and Taxation department said.
A trader, Bhushan Aggarwal has alleged in his complaint that ETO Baljinder had taken a bribe amounting to Rs one lakh from him. The complainant has also produced recordings of his conversation with the ETO.

An inquiry was entrusted with Sarojini Gautam Sharda, Deputy Excise & Taxation Commissioner, Jalandhar Division in this case.
ETO Baljinder has denied the allegations, but the recorded conversations between the trader amd the ETO showed that money has been exchanged, the spokesperson said.
The inquiry officer recommended that the said ETO, who was still on his probation period would be a permanent liability on the department, following which the ETO was dismissed with immediate effect, he said.
Spokesman further said AETC D S Gill, posted at Patiala as senior Auditor, ETO (VAT) Surinder Kumar Aggarwal, posted at Mohali SAS Nagar, Urvashi Goel, ETO (VAT) Ludhiana and Harpreet Singh, ETO Patiala have been compulsorily retired from service on charges of non-performance.

The spokesperson said there is a provision in the Punjab Civil Services (Premature Retirement) Rules, 1975 to review the performance of Group 'A' & 'B' employees at regular intervals and compulsorily retire the non-performers.