High Court dismisses contractor's petition

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today refused to give any relief of arrest to a contractor who was allegedly involved in a scam pertaining to the state Irrigation Department.
Gurinder Singh had filed an application in the court for issuance of directions to the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (PVB) to give seven days prior notice before arresting him, if any FIR is registered in the ongoing inquiry.
The Bureau has initiated an inquiry in the number of works allotted through e-tenders by the drainage wing of the Punjab Irrigation Department to probe the allegations in allotment of tenders, a PVB spokesman said.

Vigilance teams found that a single contractor, Gurinder, was allegedly favoured by senior officers of the department by allotting him more than 60 per cent of the total works by cost in the past, he said.
Many works were allotted to 'Gurinder Singh & Company' at higher rates by way of single tenders ensured by tailor made conditions and clubbing of works, the spokesman said.
"During scrutiny of the documents, it has come to light that annual turnover of Gurinder Singh & Company shot up from Rs 4.50 crore to about Rs 300 crores within a short span of time," he claimed.

However, the proprietor of this firm, Gurinder, had filed a petition in the High Court requesting for issuance of directions to the Bureau to give seven days prior notice before arresting him, if any FIR is registered pertaining to ongoing vigilance inquiry.
The spokesman informed that the vigilance bureau contested in the court that Gurinder's intention was only to hamper the ongoing inquiry so as veracity of the facts could be suppressed.
The High Court after hearing arguments of both sides found no merit in the petition of the accused, Gurinder, and dismissed his appeal without giving any relief to the applicant, he said.