Punjab: Clerk behind bars given charge of two schools

A clerk, who was behind bars in an alleged case of fraud, was given the charge of two high schools in Gurdaspur district by Punjab's education department, an official said.

In a reshuffling of the non-teaching staff of the department, Kulwant Singh was given the charge of Kandiala and Panjgrain high schools around 15 days back, the official said on Thursday.

"Unaware" that Singh was lodged in the Gurdaspur jail in an alleged fraud case, the clerk was given the new posting by the department, the official added.

"Singh was shifted along with other clerks of government schools as part of a routine transfer exercise. However, the data of employees was not updated," an official of the district education department in Gurdaspur said explaining the error.

A report pertaining to the current status of the case has been sent to the department for further action, he added.

Singh was allegedly found to be involved in a case of cheating following which he was arrested after being booked for fraud and sent to the Gurdaspur jail in 2017, officials said.