7 months ago
SGPC Controversy: Kohli's Arrest Raises Questions on Badal Links
A man named Satinder Singh Kohli, who is close to a politician named Sukhbir Singh Badal, was arrested.
People are asking questions because Kohli's company was in charge of checking the accounts of a group that manages Sikh temples, called the SGPC.
They say Kohli didn't do his job well, and important religious books went missing.
Also, Kohli's company was given the right to show a TV channel called PTC Punjabi in Canada.
Some people think Kohli and Badal are connected, and the government might be trying to find problems with Badal through Kohli.
The SGPC says they will get their money back from Kohli, but some people don't believe they will do it.
Satinder Singh Kohli, a chartered accountant and close associate of Sukhbir Singh Badal, was arrested in connection with the case of 328 missing Birs of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
Kohli's firm, S S Kohli & Associates, was hired by the SGPC for internal audits in 2009 and was removed in 2020 due to alleged negligence.
The SGPC ordered a 75% recovery of payments from Kohli's firm, amid claims that over Rs 10 crore had been paid in 11 years.
Kohli is alleged to be the director of Gurbaz Punjabi Media Inc, a Canada-based media company with exclusive rights to distribute PTC Punjabi in Canada.
The SGPC and PTC officials have denied knowledge of Kohli's involvement with Gurbaz Punjabi Media Inc, and Sukhbir Singh Badal has not responded to queries about his alleged links with Kohli.
- Who
- Satinder Singh Kohli, a chartered accountant and close associate of Sukhbir Singh Badal, and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)
- What
- Controversy over Kohli's arrest and his alleged links to Sukhbir Singh Badal, including the missing Birs of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib and the distribution rights of PTC Punjabi in Canada
- Where
- The events primarily took place in Punjab, India, with connections to Canada through the distribution rights of PTC Punjabi
- When
- Kohli was arrested last week, with the SGPC hiring his firm in 2009 and removing it as internal auditor in 2020
- Why
- Questions are being raised about how the SGPC allowed PTC channel to broadcast the Gurbani in Canada through a company allegedly linked to Kohli, and the mishandling of the Birs
Key facts
- Satinder Singh Kohli
- Chartered accountant and close associate of Sukhbir Singh Badal
- SGPC
- Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee
- PTC Punjabi
- TV channel associated with Sukhbir Singh Badal's family
- Gurbaz Punjabi Media Inc
- Canada-based media company with exclusive rights to distribute PTC Punjabi in Canada
- Missing Birs
- 328 copies of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib
- SGPC Payment
- Over Rs 10 crore paid to Kohli's firm in 11 years
- SGPC Audit
- Kohli's firm removed as internal auditor in 2020
- Akal Takht Directive
- Ordered 75% recovery of payments from Kohli's firm
Quotes
Sarchand Singh Khiala
BJP leader
“SGPC House is controlled by Sukhbir Singh Badal. He owns the PTC channel. Kohli was given rights to distribute Gurbani despite knowing that he declined to obey the Sri Akal Takht Sahib directive, which required him to return 75 per cent of what the SGPC paid him.”
indianexpress.com
Baldev Singh Sirsa
Akali Dal Panj Pardhani member
“Appointment was illegal as per SGPC rules—posts above Rs 7,000 salary must be advertised. SGPC had three internal auditors and a government auditor already. Commission had sacked Kohli briefly. He was again hired after following the procedure; however, it was a cover-up.”
indianexpress.com
Karnail Singh Panjoli
SGPC member
“A Rajpura firm offered to train SGPC staff for one year cheaply, but it was ignored. Kohli became a Rs 1 crore annual burden with no result.”
indianexpress.com
Harpal Singh (H S & Company)
Punjab government-hired CA
“Many required files were not produced for the external audit, as mandated under the Gurdwara Act.”
indianexpress.com
SGPC source
SGPC source
“Kohli is close to Sukhbir Badal. If the government wants to recover something from Kohli, that could help it to register a disproportionate assets case against Badal.”
indianexpress.com
