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Golden Temple langar scam: SGPC reinstates 25 more staffers, but with penalty
SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami had suspended 53 employees of the gurdwara body after the scam was unearthed. As a practice, the gurdwara body puts up leftover food items, including chapatis, rice etc, for sale. The gurdwara’s flying squad had found that the staffers concerned had not deposited the proceeds from the sale into the SGPC’s account. The said scam had taken place between 2019 and 2022.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has reinstated 25 of its staffers after imposing a fine on them for their alleged involvement in bungling of langar (community kitchen) funds at Golden Temple.
Twenty-three other employees were reinstated around a month ago.
SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami had suspended 53 employees of the gurdwara body after the scam was unearthed.
As a practice, the gurdwara body puts up leftover food items, including chapatis, rice etc, for sale. The gurdwara’s flying squad had found that the staffers concerned had not deposited the proceeds from the sale into the SGPC’s account. The said scam had taken place between 2019 and 2022.
SGPC secretary Partap Singh said fine ranging from ₹25,000 to ₹1 lakh was imposed on the staffers. He said the final action against four to five main accused is pending.
The fine was imposed, in accordance with the rank of the employee. Higher ranked staffers were charged higher.
After reinstatement, the staffers rejoined duty on Friday.
SGPC member Gurinderpal Singh Ranike, son of Akali stalwart and former cabinet minister Gulzar Singh Ranike, lodged a protest against fine with a Facebook post, wherein he wrote, “Though the real culprits have been identified, lakhs of rupees is being charged from innocent staffers. This is quite unfortunate. Shame on management of SGPC.”
