TWO FAKE letters of appointment for the advertised posts of peon, gardeners, carpenters at Punjab Raj Bhawan were issued to two Haryana residents, Munish Kumar and Parvesh Kumar of Bhiwani. The fake appointment letters had the signature and stamp of office of the secretary to the Punjab Governor. Police have registered an FIR against unknown persons in this connection and began investigation on Thursday.
The FIR was registered on the complaint of Deputy Secretary, Punjab Raj Bhawan, Rakesh Bhandhari, at Sector 3 Police Station. Punjab Raj Bhawan had given advertisement for 10 posts of peon, gardener, carpenter and dhobi back in April 2017. The interview process for the eligible candidates was completed between March 26 and April 17, 2018. The appointment letters to the 10 selected and eligible candidates were issued on May 16.
The fact that fake appointment letters were issued came to light when Sohan Singh, a JBT teacher of Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 15, approached Punjab Raj Bhawan enquiring about the formalities for joining the post of peon at the Punjab Raj Bhawan on May 23. Sohan Singh showed an appointment letter, which was issued to one Munish Kumar of Bhiwani.
Police sources said when the staff members of the Governor’s house asked Sohan Singh about Munish Kumar to whom the appointment letter was issued, he replied that he was sent by one Satpal, a record keeper with the office of Director, Senior Secondary Education, Haryana, in Panchkula. Sources said Sohan Singh was called to the spot and he maintained that Munish was one of his relatives, who received the appointment letter through post at his house in Bhiwani. Similarly, another appointment letter was issued to one Parvesh Kumar.
In his complaint to the police, Rakesh Bhandhari, Deputy Secretary, Punjab Raj Bhawan, stated, “We verified all the issued appointment letters and concluded that no appointment letters were issued to persons named Munish Kumar and Parvesh Kumar.”
A police officer, requesting anonymity, said, “The two men, who received fake appointment letters, along with JBT teacher Sohan Singh and record keeper Satpal is being questioned in this connection. Till now, they were not found involved in this case.”
