Varinder Kumar removed as Punjab Vigilance Bureau head, G Nageswara Rao is new chief
In the first major bureaucratic reshuffle in Punjab, following a meeting of all state MLAs convened by AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, the state government has replaced Special Director General of Police (DGP) Varinder Kumar with ADGP (Provisioning) G Nageswara Rao as the chief director of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB).
Muktsar Deputy Commissioner, Rajesh Tripathi, has been placed under suspension on charges of corruption. It is learnt that the ruling party MLAs had complained against him, alleging “corrupt practices” on his behalf.
Meanwhile, Abhijit Kaplish has been appointed as the new Muktsar Deputy Commissioner.
It is learnt that in the meeting of AAP MLAs chaired by Kejriwal in Delhi last week, several legislators had also complained about some junior officials of the Vigilance Bureau running a “parallel system” and issuing notices against officers/officials in the administration.
Official sources in the Chief Minister's Office said that Varinder Kumar was being replaced as there was no affirmative action by the Vigilance in several high-profile cases of corruption currently being investigated by the bureau.
The sources said that with the change at the top, they were hopeful of investigations in high-profile cases speeding up, and reining in of the junior officers.
Kumar has not been given any posting as yet and has been asked to report to the DGP. He had remained the head of the Vigilance Bureau since 2022. He is due to retire later this year.
In a cryptic message sent by the ruling party, it was hinted that the transfer and suspension were part of the instructions issued by the state personnel department last week, asking all deputy commissioners, senior superintendents of police, sub-divisional magistrates, and SHOs to check corruption at public offices or face action.
Issuing the instructions, the Department of Personnel and Vigilance Secretary said corrupt practices undermine public trust, weaken institutions, and hinder national growth, so top priority must be accorded to check this menace.
In order to ensure corruption-free and citizen-friendly governance, all field officers should take stringent and effective steps, the officer said in the order issued on Friday.
The order stated that to make the officers accountable and more responsive, feedback will be taken not only from the public but also from MLAs and MPs regarding their working.
