Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann sacks health minister on corruption charges
India

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann sacks health minister on corruption charges

His office confirmed that concrete evidence had been found against the minister.

   
File photo of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann | ANI

File photo of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann | ANI

New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday sacked Health Minister Vijay Singla following complaints of corruption.

It is alleged Singla demanded 1 per cent commission from officials for all department contracts. The chief minister’s office said “concrete evidence” had been found against the minister.

Mann rode to power in Punjab on his party’s strict anti-corruption image. In a video message, Mann said: “Not even one per cent corruption will be tolerated… The people have voted for an AAP government with a lot of hope, we have to live up to it. As long as mother India has a son like Arvind Kejriwal and a soldier like Bhagwant Mann, the great war against corruption will continue.”

Mann also said Singla had admitted to his misdeed. The Punjab police’s anti-corruption branch arrested the MLA from Mansa soon after he was removed from the Cabinet.

Party MP Raghav Chadha tweeted after the decision: “Aam Aadmi Party is the only party that has the integrity, courage and uprightness to take action against their own on grounds of corruption. We saw it in Delhi, now we are witnessing it in Punjab. ZERO TOLERANCE FOR CORRUPTION.”

In 2015, AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had sacked one of his ministers for corruption.


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