Rana resigns as HPSC member

A day after he was arrested in Palwal for being involved in an attempt-to-murder case, Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) member Harinder Pal Rana submitted his resignation to the state government here on Thursday.

Chief secretary PK Chaudhery told HT that Rana's resignation had been received and sent to the competent authority for the final decision.

Rana and Ramesh Kumar, former vice-chairman of Palwal Nagar Parishad, were on Wednesday sentenced to seven and 10 years in jail, respectively, in a five-year-old attempt to murder case.

Rana, Kumar and other convicted members of their families were sent to Neemka jail in Faridabad soon after the court pronounced its verdict.

The case relates to a group clash near old Sohna road here on March 23, 2008, in which both sides had fired at each other.

Rana, the then district Congress president in Palwal, and eight members of his family, were indicted, while another FIR implicated Kumar, the then vice-chairman of Palwal Nagar Parishad, and his seven associates under relevant sections of the IPC and Arms Act.

Rana's appointment on the HPSC on July 25, 2013, had drawn objection from Indian National Lok Dal leaders who said how could he be appointed to the post when charges of murder and attempt to murder, rioting, unlawful assembly and criminal trespass under the Arms Act had been framed against him in two criminal trials.