Vigilance bureau registers 455 fresh inquiries against officers

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 20

The State Vigilance Bureau (SVB) has registered 455 fresh inquiries against officers, including 5 IAS, 1 IPS, 4 HCS, 1 HPS officer, 6 chief engineers, 6 superintending engineers, 45 executive engineers, 8 tehsildars, 7 naib-tehsildars and 47 sub-divisional officers, sub-divisional engineers, mechanical engineers of various departments.

An official spokesperson said the complaints against the officials pertained to corruption, misappropriation of government funds and owning disproportionate assets.

During the last three-and-a-half-year tenure of the BJP government, 276 inquiries had been finalised on the basis of which 49 criminal cases against 60 government officers and 56 non-government officers were registered and 71 others were recommended and departmental action was recommended in 94 inquiries against delinquent officials.

Of these, criminal cases and departmental action was recommended in 14 inquiries.

He said 482 criminal cases, including 389 trap cases, had been registered against various officials. The SVB conducted 389 raids in which 39 government offices, 374 non-government officers, and 49 persons were caught red-handed while accepting illegal gratification.

He said criminal cases under Section 7/13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, had been registered against them in various police stations.

Over 325 assessments were carried out by the technical wing of the SVB, headed by XEN-level officers, throughout the state. On the basis of checking, the SVB recommended action against 517 officials of various departments along with recovery of more than Rs 11.1 crore, which acted as a major deterrent against misappropriation of government funds.

Giving further details, he said 128 cases were decided by the courts, in which 139 officials and 47 private persons were convicted under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Those sentenced included 30 officials of the Revenue Department, 25 of the Police Department, 16 of the Education Department, 11 of the Power Department, 9 of the Co-operation Department, 8 of the Health Department, 7 of the Urban Local Bodies Department, 3 of the Animal Husbandry and Dairying Department, 3 of HUDA, 3 of the Public Health Department, 3 of the Transport Department, 3 of the Agriculture Department, 3 of the Irrigation Department, 2 of the Panchayati Raj Department, 2 of the Labour Department, 2 of the Wakf Board, 2 of the Treasury Department, one from the Food and Supplies Department, one from the Industrial Department, one from the Social Justice and Empowerment Department, and one from the Excise and Taxation Department, one from the Sports and Youth Affairs Department, one from the Development and Panchayat Department and one from the Administration of Justice Department.

He said the highest numbers of persons convicted belong to the Revenue, Police and Education Departments followed by Co-operation Department.

“Jail terms of up to 5 years have been awarded by the courts in these cases. Special emphasis is being laid on laying traps for corrupt officials. For further strengthening of their internal vigilance efforts, the bureau is working for collaboration with various departments with appointment of Chief Vigilance Officers/Vigilance Officers in all government departments, corporations and boards. It will build up a clean image of the government and help eradicate corruption,” he said.

60 officials face criminal cases

• At least 276 inquiries had been finalised on the basis of which 49 criminal cases against 60 government officers and 56 non-government officers were registered
• Of these, criminal cases and departmental action was recommended in 14 inquiries
• The SVB conducted 389 raids in which 39 government offices, 374 non-government officers, and 49 persons were caught red-handed while accepting illegal gratification