MLA Rakesh Singha alleges recruitment scam in Vidhan Sabha during Bindal’s speaker-ship

Shimla, Jul 16,2020

More allegation have been leveled on former speaker of Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Dr Rajeev Bindal over a recruitment scam in state Vidhan Sabha. CPI(M) member of assembly Rakesh Singha today here made a major exposure alleging that six people were recruited in Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha through alleged irregular methods while Bindal was speaker in 2019.

Addressing a press conference  Singha demanded that Jai Ram Thakur headed state Government should constitute a free and fair judicial probe into the alleged job scam in State Vidhan Secretariat during Rajiv Bindal speaker-ship.

Disclosing a major anomalies in the recruitment process occurred on  Oct 23, 2019
Singha informed that six post were filled without following prescribed rule and regulations of the state assembly.  Singha alleged that Bindal on Oct 24, 2019 constituted a three member selection committee for the personal interview of post of Law Officer in the state assembly which allegedly conducted interview on Nov 6 2019. He said that the committee members included HP  Vidhan Secretary Yash Paul Sharma , Vijay Kumar Sharma, Joint Controller ( Finance and account ) and N L Sen Additional Director (Prosecution ) of Government of Himachal as experts.

” But the recruitment process seemed to be attended by only one member of committee as the concerned document marks signature of  Dr Vijay Kumar Sharma  Jt Controller (F&A) only, alleged Singha. Adding that Additional Director Prosecution did not join the selection committee as an expert member as his signatures are absent on the order and signatures of secretary Vidhan Sabha seemed to have been impersonated to complete the quorum. As the signatures of HP  Vidhan Secretary Yash Paul Sharma do not match with initials done by him on the bottom of the same official order, alleged the CPI(M) leader.
He said that the committee recruited six people including a Law Officer, Assistant Librarian, Junior Translator , two Chokidar and a Frash. Singha alleged that as per his information no post of Law Officer exists in the state secretariat and recruitment was done on whim and fancy to please the kin and kith of the Speaker and his aides.

‘A female candidate Maethli was appointed as the law officer. Adding that Maethli  is the daughter of Dharampal who is erstwhile private secretary Bindal when he was Health Minister and Vidhan Speaker,” pointed Singha. Terming the alleged recruitment as an example of nepotism Singha alleged that  Bindal is related to selected candidate Maethli as her father is his Pvt. Secy and she is also close relative of Rajiv Kumar, who is son in law of Bindal.

He said that the Assistant Librarian recruited in the Vidhan Sabha Library is  Ved Nidhi  who is daughter of one Mahinder Dutt Sharma. Singha alleged that recruitment document suppressed the fact about this candidate is wife of Tej Ram. This information has been camouflaged in the matter by not providing name of husband on the application document. He said that in 1997-97 while Bindal was heading Solan Municipal Committee a recruitment scam had figured. One of the accused in the scam was Tej Ram whose job recruitment had come under scanner. The same Tej Ram is husband of Ved Nidhi, and the fact was hidden while making her appointment, alleged Singha.
Adding he informed that another Pankaj Gulleria was appointed as Chowkidar in the assembly. Singha said that he is allegedly nephew of Purushottam Gulleria, who is currently vice chairman of Khadi Gram Udoyga Board and a  BJP leader of Kangra district.
He said that a constituent of Bindal and IT Cell member of BJP,  Pankaj Singh son of Devinder Singh was appointed as Junior Translator. “He belonged to Kolar area of Sirmaur, which is Bindals’ constituency.” Adding, “similarly Ramesh Kumar who is appointed as Chowkidar, and Sarvan as frash also belonged to assembly segment of Bindal.
He said that though CPI(M) has nothing to do against the appointments of Chokidar and Frash but yet they got these two posts recruitment issue in public domain to raise finger on the recruitment process under Bindal’s  speaker-ship.