<p>Punjab Health Minister Vijay Singla was sacked from the state Cabinet on Tuesday and arrested on corruption charges with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asserting that his government has zero-tolerance towards corruption.</p>.<p>The Aam Aadmi Party has been in power in Punjab for barely two months. The chief minister himself announced the removal of Singla from the council of ministers.</p>.<p>Mann said the decision was made after he came to know that Singla was allegedly demanding one per cent commission in tenders and purchases of his department.</p>.<p>The chief minister said that he has also directed the police to register a case against Singla.</p>.<p>Later, he was arrested by the Punjab Police, sources said.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/keep-an-eye-on-punjab-incidents-1111099.html"><strong>Also read: Keep an eye on Punjab incidents</strong></a></p>.<p>"A case was brought to my notice in which one minister in my government was demanding one per cent commission from each tender or purchase of his department. I took this case very seriously. Only I knew this case. Neither media nor opposition knew it," Mann said in a video message.</p>.<p>"I am taking strict action against that minister and I am removing him from the cabinet. I am also giving directions to the police to register a case against him," he said, adding, "That minister's name is Vijay Singla. He was the health minister."</p>.<p>Mann said that Singla was allegedly involved in wrongdoings in his department and he has also admitted to the same.</p>.<p>Asserting that the AAP government has zero-tolerance towards corruption, Mann pointed out that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also removed his food and supplies minister in 2015 and handed over the case to the CBI.</p>.<p>"I will not tolerate corruption of a single rupee. We want to turn Punjab into a corruption-free state" Mann asserted.</p>.<p>The Punjab chief minister said some parties will now point out that one of the AAP ministers was found involved in corruption within just two months, but then "it is I who is taking action".</p>.<p>Vijay Singla, 52, was elected MLA from the Mansa seat. He had defeated Punjabi singer and Congress candidate Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, also called Sidhu Moosewala. Singla is a dental surgeon.</p>.<p>The Aam Aadmi Party had bagged 92 of the 117 seats in Punjab, decimating the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bahujan Samaj Party combine, and the BJP-Punjab Lok Congress-SAD (Sanyukt) alliance in the 2022 state Assembly polls. </p>
<p>Punjab Health Minister Vijay Singla was sacked from the state Cabinet on Tuesday and arrested on corruption charges with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asserting that his government has zero-tolerance towards corruption.</p>.<p>The Aam Aadmi Party has been in power in Punjab for barely two months. The chief minister himself announced the removal of Singla from the council of ministers.</p>.<p>Mann said the decision was made after he came to know that Singla was allegedly demanding one per cent commission in tenders and purchases of his department.</p>.<p>The chief minister said that he has also directed the police to register a case against Singla.</p>.<p>Later, he was arrested by the Punjab Police, sources said.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/keep-an-eye-on-punjab-incidents-1111099.html"><strong>Also read: Keep an eye on Punjab incidents</strong></a></p>.<p>"A case was brought to my notice in which one minister in my government was demanding one per cent commission from each tender or purchase of his department. I took this case very seriously. Only I knew this case. Neither media nor opposition knew it," Mann said in a video message.</p>.<p>"I am taking strict action against that minister and I am removing him from the cabinet. I am also giving directions to the police to register a case against him," he said, adding, "That minister's name is Vijay Singla. He was the health minister."</p>.<p>Mann said that Singla was allegedly involved in wrongdoings in his department and he has also admitted to the same.</p>.<p>Asserting that the AAP government has zero-tolerance towards corruption, Mann pointed out that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also removed his food and supplies minister in 2015 and handed over the case to the CBI.</p>.<p>"I will not tolerate corruption of a single rupee. We want to turn Punjab into a corruption-free state" Mann asserted.</p>.<p>The Punjab chief minister said some parties will now point out that one of the AAP ministers was found involved in corruption within just two months, but then "it is I who is taking action".</p>.<p>Vijay Singla, 52, was elected MLA from the Mansa seat. He had defeated Punjabi singer and Congress candidate Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, also called Sidhu Moosewala. Singla is a dental surgeon.</p>.<p>The Aam Aadmi Party had bagged 92 of the 117 seats in Punjab, decimating the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bahujan Samaj Party combine, and the BJP-Punjab Lok Congress-SAD (Sanyukt) alliance in the 2022 state Assembly polls. </p>