Punjab Police nab 45 officials, 3 leaders via helpline against corruption in 3 months

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21

The state government today claimed to set a record by arresting 45 government officials on graft charges, besides three politicians in just over three months of assuming power.

Action taken so far

• The Punjab Police have registered a total of 28 FIRs against corrupt officers and other offenders to date
• Cops also nabbed Health Minister Dr Vijay Singla, former Cabinet Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and ex-MLA Joginder Pal
• CM Bhagwant Mann said the entire system will be cleaned by weeding out corrupt employees

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said he had promised corruption-free, transparent and clean administration to the masses.

He said he had released an anti-corruption helpline number to facilitate people to lodge their complaints on WhatsApp. “This anti-graft helpline has done miracles as people are using it as an effective tool in their war against corruption,” said CM Mann.

The Punjab Police have registered 28 FIRs against corrupt officers and other offenders. The Vigilance Bureau has arrested a Sub- Inspector, eight Assistant Sub-Inspectors, three Head Constables, a constable, a Home Guards jawan, two patwaris, a clerk and nambardar, data entry operator, principal (Government ITI, SAS Nagar), a medical officer, a Divisional Forest Officer and one member of summon server staff of the Judicial Department.

The government had nabbed its own Health Minister Dr Vijay Singla on corruption charges. It also arrested former Forest and Social Welfare Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot in a graft case and ex-MLA Joginder Pal in an illegal mining case. Seventeen civilians in a mining case, four assistants of patwaris and a forest contractor had been nabbed on charges of corrupt practices. In total, 45 persons have been arrested by the police so far.

The Chief Minister said this was just the beginning and the entire system would be cleaned by weeding out corrupt employees. CM Mann said, “People have bestowed huge responsibility on me and I am duty bound to fulfil the aspirations of people by giving them clean, transparent and responsive administration.”

CM Mann said the war against corruption would end only after this menace gets completely eradicated for which the government needs proactive support of the masses.

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