Corrupt big fish are on Vigilance radar, will be caught soon, says SSP

Senior Superintendent of Police (Vigilance) Alka Meena, an IPS officer of the 2010 batch of the Orissa cadre, has been on this post since April 1, 2016, after she was promoted from ADCP (Headquarters), Jalandhar, to the post of Chief of Vigilance. Hailing from Rajasthan, she joined as ASP in the Punjab Police at Bathinda in 2013. Later, she joined as ADCP (Headquarters) in the Jalandhar Commissionerate. During her posting in the city police, she was part of the special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the high-profile kidney racket involving National Kidney Hospital. A non-controversial officer, Alka has tonnes of plans to take the Vigilance Department to the doorstep of the common man with a view to generating more information about the corrupt government officials. In an interaction with correspondent Nikhil Bhardwaj, Alka Meena revealed that the Vigilance Department was on job to trap the big fish resorting to corrupt practices in the government departments.

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What is the role of the Vigilance Department?

This department plays a pivotal role to put the corrupt government officials behind bars. Under my jurisdiction, four districts, including Jalandhar, Nawanshahr, Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur, fall. We have a dedicated team to keep a tab on such black sheep and we conduct raid to nab them red handed.

Any recent initiatives taken by the department?

After my joining, I strongly felt that the Vigilance Department had been receiving anonymous complaints from urban population only, while people in villages, who more often fall prey to corrupt government officials, are least aware about the Vigilance. Now, we have started awareness drives and special camps in villages to root out corruption.

In the recent arrest of a Punjabi lecturer and DEO Pathankot office clerk of the Punjab Education Department, don't you think this would not have been possible without the involvement of senior officials like the DEO. Will their role be probed as well?

Certainly. It is true that appointing a lecturer and tampering with officials files is not possible without seniors. We had also sought permission to pursue the case against the DEO, Pathankot, but the headquarters has not given us permission. Once we get any evidence against the DEO, he may face action.

There was a scam involving retired Civil Surgeon RL Bassan and names of many Health Department officials cropped up in the purchase of electronic equipment etc, but when the investigation was at its fag end, it was shifted to Hoshiarpur. Why?

The investigation was in progress, it was not at the fag end. It was shifted to Hoshiarpur on the direction from the Vigilance headquarters in Chandigarh. Since Hoshiarpur falls under my jurisdiction, I am taking regular updates and if the Civil Surgeon is found guilty, he will surely face legal action.

The above said inquiry is being single handedly conducted by an inspector-rank official who lacks a proper team of experts.

I have already written to the IGP Vigilance in this regard to provide a team to the inspector for technical support so that investigation could be completed well in time. I trust inquiry will be completed soon.

The Civil Surgeon office sewadar was nabbed in a bribe case recently. He named some private agents in this racket, he's out on bail now. Why the other agents he has named were not interrogated to find the mastermind of the scam?

The nabbed sewadar (class IV employee) was not ready to name any of his senior officials. To my knowledge, the high court has already summoned drug inspector Amarjit under Section 319. The guilty will surely get punishment. A challan has already been presented against the sewadar in the court.

The Congress is alleging that the Vigilance Department is not conducting a serious inquiry into the Maqsudan road scam worth crores.

The inquiry into the scam was shifted to the Local Bodies Secretary of the Punjab Government by the Vigilance headquarters. Hence, the Jalandhar Vigilance had not got permission to investigate the case. The Vigilance also served reminders to the Secretary to get updates about the inquiry. I sent the Congress complaint to the Vigilance headquarters on June 27 from where it was sent to the Local Government Secretary on July 22. The Congress leaders were already apprised of it. Still they resorted to dharna.

The rate of conviction is very less in the cases filed by the Vigilance, why?

Yes, I agree that the conviction rate is not satisfactory in the Vigilance cases mainly because shadow witnesses and main complainants often turn hostile in court. The witnesses may face action under Section 182 of the IPC.

Why do senior officials always go scot-free?

It is because the Vigilance needs evidence to arrest senior officials. We use traps whenever we receive any complaint, irrespective of the rank. Most of the complaints we receive are against lower-rung officials only.

A challan is yet to be filed in the infamous pesticide scam.

The challan got delayed due to the pending representation, but now the approval has been received from the headquarters and in the days to come, the challan will be filed against five persons, including block agricultural officer Ranjit Singh, block contractual employees Anawar Ali and Dilpreet, nambardar Surinderpal Singh and lambardar Bhupinder Singh.

The post of the DSP Vigilance Nawanshahr-Kapurthala has been lying vacant for long.

Yes, the post is lying vacant. I have already written to the DGP on the issue for the early filling of the post.

Being SSP (Vigilance), what message would you like to give to women?

I am proud to be a woman to reach this position. Females should opt for police in order to deliver instant justice to people.

Present complaints with Vigilance, dept wise 

Police dept 14

Revenue dept 11

Education dept 06

MC-Nagar Council 15 

PSPCL 04 

PUNSUP 03

PUDA 02

Mining dept 04

Labour 01

Pb Mandi Board 01

Soil Conservation 01

Food supply 01

Health dept 04

Drainage dept 02

Zila Parishad 01 

Vigilance report card 

April 1, 2015 to August 25, 2016

Vigilance Enquiries completed 13

Cases registered 19

To Court  22

Convicted 10 

Acquitted 15

PO nabbed 02

Checkings 27

Toll free complaints 37

completed