Sports gradation row: Vigilance probe ordered into issuance of grade-A certificate to IAS officer’s shooter son

A vigilance probe has been ordered by the Haryana government into the award of a grade-A sports gradation certificate to Vishwajeet Singh, son of Haryana IAS officer Jagdeep Singh that led to the former being selected in the Haryana Civil Services (HCS). Vishwajeet’s appointment to HCS has also been put on hold till the completion of vigilance inquiry.

Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has given his nod for an inquiry by a senior IPS officer of the state vigilance bureau, top officials said.

‘Father should have recused from grading son’

The grade-A sports gradation certificate which enabled Vishawajeet Singh, an international shooter, to qualify for the state civil services under the eligible sportspersons (ESP) category was awarded by his father himself as director, sports, the same day he got transferred. It was improper for Jagdeep not to recuse himself from grading his own son, said former principal secretary, sports and youth affairs, Ashok Khemka, in a letter written to the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC).

‘Tournament did not qualify for certificate’

The communication said Vishwajeet Singh’s declaration in his application that International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) was the organising authority of the ISSF Junior Cup 2014 tournament where he won a silver medal to qualify for ESP, was wrong. The organising authority instead is the German national shooting federation – Deutsche Schutzenbund eV (DSB), it said. Singh thus has wrongly shown ISSF as the organising authority in his application form so as to be considered against a tournament placed in a higher category. Also, the tournament did not qualify for sports gradation certificate issued to ESP for jobs under sports quota notified on May 25, 2018, the communication said.

‘His correct eligibility is a grade-B certificate’

Khemka’s communication also said that the silver medal won by Vishwajeet Singh at the Junior Cup did not qualify him for enhanced gradation available to medal winners.

“Vishwajeet Singh scored 16th rank in 25 metre sport pistol men junior event. The medal was not given on a team game. It was based on team score obtained by aggregating the individual scores of three shooters (ranked 3rd, 15th and 16th) representing the country in the individual event,” the letter said. It further said the correct eligibility of Vishwajeet is a grade-B sports certificate in view of his participation in junior events in world championships at Granada in 2014.

Top officials said that vigilance inquiry has been ordered on the basis of Khemka’s letter and the fact that the sports department could not ascertain the authenticity of the organising authority of the 2014 ISSF Junior Cup 2014 and the certificates issued to Vishwajeet Singh.

Shooter petitions HC seeking appointment

Meanwhile, Vishwajeet in a petition filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court has argued that despite having been recommended by the HPSC for appointment to the post of HCS (executive) in the sports category, having been found medically fit and his character antecedents and supporting documents regarding sports achievements being verified, he has not been issued appointment letter.

“The sports activities participated by Vishwajeet at different levels have duly been verified from the quarters concerned and found in order. Even the person who is lower in merit (though in sports category) has been given appointment, but the petitioner has not been issued appointment letter without any justified reason,” his counsel had told the bench of Justice Hari Pal Verma on September 17.

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