Job racket busted by Vigilance Bureau, sarpanch among four held

Tribune News Service
Amritsar, July 15

With the arrest of four persons, including a health worker and a sarpanch, the Vigilance Bureau today claimed to have busted a recruitment racket that duped a number of persons for getting recruited in the Powercom as helper.

The preliminary investigation has unearthed their links with a notorious fraudster, Dominic Sahota, who was the kingpin of a gang of kidnappers and robbers busted by Mohali police in January. According to the Vigilance, he used to pose as an official of security agencies like NIA and BSF. He would be brought on production warrant for questioning in the case.

Jailed fraudster to be questioned

• The preliminary probe has revealed the gang’s links with Dominic Sahota, a notorious fraudster who is currently in Ropar jail
• Sahota used to pose as Assistant Commandant, BSF, to dupe job aspirants. One of the suspects allegedly got four persons ‘recruited’ in BSF through him
• Sahota would be brought on production warrant in the case for further probe, said SSP Parampal Singh

Those arrested were identified as Pirthipal Singh, who was posted at the Primary Health Centre at Dhotian village in Tarn Taran, Harpal Singh, sarpanch of Kad Gill village in Tarn Taran, Malkiat Singh and Sukhwant Singh.

One Barinderpal Singh of Jaswant Nagar complained to the Vigilance that Pirthipal offered to get him recruited in the powercom. However, he asked Pirthipal to get his relative recruited for which the latter allegedly demanded Rs 3.5 lakh. Barinderpal initially gave Rs 10,000 to Pirthipal to initiate the process. But Barinderpal, however, changed his mind and approached the Vigilance, which laid a trap and nabbed Pirthipal and Malkiat red-handed accepting Rs 50,000 as bribe.

SSP, Vigilance, Parampal Singh said during the interrogation, the duo informed about the kingpin, Sukhwant Singh, who was operating from Ludhiana and had duped a number of persons for getting recruited in government departments. He used to charge Rs 3.5 lakh. A Vigilance team raided the residence of Sukhwant and found six more such cases of fraud.