Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann sacks health minister over kickback charges

Chandigarh : The two-month old AAP government led by Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday sacked Health Minister Vijay Singla over corruption charges. The Chief Minister said the health minister was involved in corruption cases and they had proof of that. The minister is a legislator from the Mansa Assembly. He was the first minister representing the Assembly as a Cabinet minister in over three decades. Mann ordered the registration of an FIR against the minister. The charge against the minister was that he was demanding one per cent commission from each government tender. Mann said there would be zero tolerance to corruption. Mann said that the decision was taken to ensure that his government remains corrupt free.

“I am taking strict action against the minister. I am removing him from the Cabinet. We have found substantial proof of his involvement in the corruption case. “I do not care if the Opposition parties want to use this to hit out at us. The point is that we will not tolerate anyone indulging in such malpractices. Our party national convener has made it clear that corruption will not be tolerated. He had himself removed a minister in Delhi in 2015 after corruption charges were levelled against the minister,” the Chief Minister said in a video message. He said Singla had admitted to wrongdoings. Singla had got the highest number of votes polled in his favour in the Assembly election.