Not anything political in my appointment, says minister Rana Sodhi’s son

Anumit Sodhi takes oath as state data commissioner in presence of his father and Minister Rana Gurmit Sodhi, in Chandigarh on Wednesday. information

Anumit Singh Sodhi alias Hira Sodhi, son of Sports activities Minister Rana Gurmit Sodhi, who on Wednesday become the youngest individual to be appointed because the state data commissioner (SIC), a constitutional submit, is going through probe in a single try to homicide case whilst the complainant in every other try to homicide case has challenged in courtroom the closure filed through the Punjab Police.

By the way, the appointment of Anumit Sodhi, and Maninder Singh Patti, an aide of Housing and City Building Minster Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, to the Punjab data fee has already ignited the nepotism debate whilst questions are being raised on their {qualifications} for the submit.

Anumit Sodhi, then again, claimed that his was once now not a political appointment.

“It’s Punjab governor who appoints data commissioners. It isn’t political appointment,” Anumit Sodhi informed The Indian information.

Alternatively, a thanksgiving submit on Anumit Sodhi’s Fb wall was once the rest however political. “I’m thankful to Captain Amarinder Singh Ji & #INCPunjab for appointing me as State Knowledge Commissioner. Thank u for entrusting ur religion in my skill & I’m assured that i will be able to carry out my tasks with utmost sincerity. Punjab Da Captain,” reads his submit.

His minister father took to Twitter to information gratitude.

I’m thankful to @capt_amarinder Ji @PunjabGovtIndia for appointing Anumit Singh Sodhi @anumitsodhi & Maninder Singh Patti as Individuals of State Knowledge Commissioner. Thanku 4entrusting religion in my son’s skill & I’m assured that he vl carry out his tasks with utmost sincerity,” he tweeted.

Greater than a dozen former bureaucrats and IPS officials had carried out towards the posts that at last went to to Anumit Sodhi and Maninder Patti. Assets within the executive stated that a few of them had carried out greater than a yr in the past.

Anumit Sodhi, then again, stated that he carried out in July this yr when submit was once republished conserving previous programs into consideration.

Consistent with the commercial issued through the Punjab executive for the submit: “…Commissioners might be the individuals of eminence in public lifestyles with vast wisdom and revel in in regulation, science and era, social provider, control, journalism, mass media or management and governance.” It additionally provides that the individual shall now not be hooked up with any political party or sporting on any trade or pursuing any occupation.

On his FB web page, Anumit Sodhi mentions his profession as flesh presser and that he’s a member of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee.

Requested below which class, discussed in commercial, did he qualify, Anumit Sodhi stated, “Non-official. There are lots of individuals who had been correspondents or ex-servicemen and appointed as data commissioners previously. I come from non-official class. There’s no explicit class to nominate data commissioner. There are best two classes professional and non-official. Officers are those that have taken retirement from the federal government provider.”
Consistent with Splendid Courtroom instructions for appointments of SIC: “To verify transparency in appointments, all vital data together with the commercial, details of the candidates, composition of variety committee and seek committee, mins of conferences of seek/variety committee and many others. will have to be submit at the website online. The standards followed for shortlisting applicants through the quest committee will have to be made public, to make sure that shortlisting is finished at the foundation of function and rational standards.”

Alternatively, the Punjab executive didn’t add one of these data at the website online sooner than making the 2 contemporary appointments.

Anumit Sodhi, in the meantime, stated he was once assured of justifying his variety. “I’m a graduate from Delhi College and a countrywide champion in taking pictures. I’ve been with the Congress party for closing 23 years. I used to be vice-president of Formative years Congress. Other people incessantly to find issues in getting data from departments. We will be able to attempt to make it clean. It came about with me again and again that I couldn’t get data below the RTI as a result of my party was once in opposition. There will have to be no such discrimination in giving data at the foundation of political party,” he stated.

The 45-year-old, in the meantime, is going through a prison grievance, with the topic having reached the Punjab and Haryana Top Courtroom. Complainant Vinay Kumar Bajaj, from Guru Har Sahai, had moved the prime courtroom alleging police inactiveness in a an FIR that he had were given registered towards Anumit Sodhi in 2018 over a brutal assault on him.

“Petitioners have approached this courtroom for turning in of investigation pursuant to FIR No.2 dated 1.1.2018 registered below Sections 307, 323, 324, 452, 148 and 149 of IPC at police station, Guru Har Sahai, district Ferozepur to CBI. It’s contended that since registration of FIR, investigation has made little headway in spite of charter of SIT. It’s alleged that the petitioner was once sufferer of brutal assault on the behest of henchmen of son of a sitting MLA. Petitioners are nonetheless receiving threats from the similar quarter. Consistent with them, truthful and unbiased investigation can’t be anticipated from the state police within the info and cases of the case. Throughout the process listening to, case dairy has been perused. A duplicate of the MLR enclosed therein refers to accidents inflicted… It must be thought to be whether or not additional investigation must be passed over to CBI….At this degree, realized state suggest submits that he wishes one alternative to hunt directions from DGP, Punjab,” reads the Top courtroom order dated December 17, 2018
The order additional mentioned that “Atul Nanda, Suggest Common, Punjab… submits that DGP has constituted SIT, which might continue forward with the investigation and take it to its logical finish… A standing record be submitted on or sooner than the following date of listening to. Additional choice shall he taken after perusal of standing record.”

The SIT record was once filed in courtroom in September 2019 and the case remains to be pending with subsequent listening to due on November 4.

Previous, a Ferozepur courtroom had permitted an FIR cancellation record through police previous this yr in an try to homicide case registered towards Anumit Sodhi in February 2015. The complainant within the case, Sukhwant Singh, has moved an utility in courtroom towards the cancellation record filed through police.

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