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CBI probe ordered into Haryana teachers recruitment scam

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI Nov. 25. The Supreme Court today ordered a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into allegations of corruption levelled against the Haryana Chief Minister, Om Prakash Chautala, in the recruitment of 3,206 primary school teachers in the State.

A Bench, comprising Justice R.C. Lahoti and Justice Ashok Bhan, passed this order on a writ petition filed by a suspended IAS officer, Sanjiv Kumar, seeking a probe into the scam relating to appointment of teachers on the ground that they were illegal and accentuated with mala fide and corruption. The petitioner alleged that the Chief Minister and officials tried to substitute the original selection of teachers in 2000 with an unofficial list.

The Bench asked the CBI to probe the incident with results preferably within six months. It should register a formal case "if it found that material collected during the investigation disclosed [the] commission of an offence." The Bench said: "Little people of the country have high hopes from the CBI, the prime investigating agency, which works and gives results. We hope and trust the sentinels of the CBI would justify the confidence of the people and this Court reposed in them."

The Bench rejected the Haryana Government's plea that it would order an inquiry commission saying that even if a commission was appointed, it would take a long time to complete the inquiry. And by the time it submitted its report public memory would fade away.

The Bench said the departmental proceedings initiated against the petitioner shall remain stayed and it should be resumed with the permission of the Court after the CBI completed its probe. The police protection given to the petitioner and his family shall continue.

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