PTI
Chandigarh, June 1
Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Thursday requested Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to take action against his minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, who’s facing fees of “sexual misconduct”.
Alleging that the minister has dedicated a “heinous crime”, the governor stated he doesn’t have any proper to keep within the Cabinet.
Earlier, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) had issued a discover to the Punjab authorities following a grievance of “sexual misconduct” lodged by a Gurdaspur-based male sufferer against Kataruchak.
Punjab Police fashioned a three-member particular investigation workforce after that to look into the “sexual misconduct” charge against the minister.
“Do not neglect it. It is a heinous crime, which was dedicated by him (Kataruchak). He doesn’t have the precise to keep (within the cupboard),” the governor instructed reporters right here.
“Through you (media), I once more need to convey to discover of the chief minister that action be taken against this minister instantly,” he added.
The Bhagwant Mann-led AAP authorities is facing flak over the difficulty with the opposition events demanding action against Kataruchak.
After taking cognisance of the sufferer’s grievance, the NCSC, final month, had issued a discover to the Punjab authorities and requested the chief secretary and the director normal of police to examine the matter and submit an action taken report.
The minister had allegedly approached the sufferer “by sending him a pal request on Facebook in 2013-14 and when he accepted it, Kataruchak allegedly began making advances”, the NSCN had stated whereas quoting from the sufferer’s grievance.
“Since he was an influential individual, he had promised me a authorities job due to which I remained mum. I used to be too younger at the moment to perceive something. But, his sexual excesses continued until 2021. However, he met me for the final time on Diwali in 2021 and he neither offered me with a job, nor met me after that,” the sufferer had claimed.
Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira had handed over “extremely objectionable video clips of gross misconduct” of an AAP minister to the governor for forensic examination. However, he had not named the minister.
Purohit had then forwarded the forensic report of Kataruchak’s “objectionable” video to Chief Minister Mann. According to a report, the video was not morphed.
Talking to media individuals, governor Purohit stated he will likely be visiting border districts of Punjab on June 7 and eight.
Besides speaking to villagers, he’s additionally doubtless to maintain conferences with representatives of central companies and state safety companies.
Purohit had earlier additionally visited the border districts and expressed concern over the drug drawback.
Replying to a query on the difficulty of medicine in Punjab, he stated an enchancment is seen whereas referring to media experiences on seizure of narcotics.
Purohit, who can also be the Chandigarh administrator, refuted latest accusations of senior Congress chief Pawan Bansal who had alleged that the Chandigarh administration was not totally utilising income generated from taxpayers and had additionally alleged inadequate fund allocation to the Union Territory.
Purohit claimed that Bansal introduced mistaken details.
“I respect him (Bansal) quite a bit however he levelled allegations with out details and figures,” stated Purohit.
Later, in an announcement, the Chandigarh administration stated the Union authorities constantly allocates a finances that surpasses the income collected from taxes.
It stated it has successfully utilised the finances allocation offered by the federal government of India previously 4 years.
Moreover, for the present monetary yr 2023-24, the Chandigarh Administration has secured an elevated finances allocation of Rs 6,087.10 crore, representing a development of Rs 307.98 crore in contrast to the earlier yr’s finances allocation of Rs 5,779.12 crore, the assertion stated.
