When then Haryana CM Bhajan Lal purchased old helicopter for the state and made payment of new.

Gustakhi Maaf Haryana-Pawan Kumar Bansal.

Naib Saini government has purchased Helicopter worth Rs eighty crore-Whereas the then CM Bhajan Lal purchased old helicopter and government made payment of new.

Extracts from my upcoming book on politics culture and governance of Haryana titled “Murky Politics of Haryana.”

The story is a must read for budding- journalists as it explains how top-secret documents can be managed.

During my posting at Chandigarh with Jansatta covering Haryana beat in 1987 , my source told that the then Haryana CM,Bhajan Lal had purchased old helicopter for the state and CAG has made comments about this in its report.

I was told that the report of CAG will be tabled in the Assembly- session beginning from 11th September,
1989.

This was a big news but idea came to mind to grab its copy before it is tabled in Assembly as then it will be in public domain and I will not get credit for exposing it.
I was told that first it will be tabled before the state cabinet and then in Assembly and its publication before that can invite action by the Speaker of the Assembly.

Temptation was great. I started searching my sources and was lucky to get it in loose form from the printing-press where it was being printed.
It mentioned that the scrutiny of the log-book of a new aircraft purchased and brought to India in June 1986 revealed that the entry regarding the date of manufacture of the engine was scored out.The aircraft had been repaired and returned to service in December 1985 and had put in eighty hours of flying prior to June 1986.

My story in Jansatta was published as lead story on page one and I got compliments from our Editor- in- Chief Parbash Joshi for the scoop.

The then Speaker Harmohinder Singh Chatha, although a good friend, told me that I am liable for action for breach of privilege.

I requested him to take action as I will become celebrity overnight as I had not compromised with national security and had exposed corruption.
Good sense prevailed upon Mr Chatha and he not only dropped the idea but invited me for breakfast at his residence.