Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's led Aam Aadmi Party government made its goal of a corruption-free Punjab very clear on Wednesday. CM Mann through his Twitter handle issued a letter declaring all the strikes going on against Vigilance Bureau illegal and also gave an ultimatum to officers of the PCS department to join back their duty by 2 pm. As a result, the PCS officers association withdrew their strike. From the time Bhagwant Mann came to power, Vigilance Bureau has become proactive regarding the crackdown on corruption.
CM Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday issued a letter supporting Vigilance Bureau’s action. In the letter, he stated that some of the officers were not present at their duty in the name of a strike and this would never be tolerated under his government. He added that a strike was going on against the department’s action against corrupt officers. He stated that their government has a zero-tolerance policy against corruption and such strikes are an obstacle in this working which is not tolerable. He declared all the strikes going on illegal and ordered to suspend officers who don’t join duty by 2 pm. Chief Secretary Punjab VK Janjua also supported Vigilance Bureau’s action after which the strike was called off by PCS Officers Association.
The PCS Association along with IAS Association in Punjab held a meeting with CM Bhagwant Mann at 1 pm on last Monday. Post this, CM directed the Vigilance Bureau to provide him with all the evidence for arrests and FIRs lodges. Sources revealed that Vigilance Bureau had evidence against RTA Dhaliwal on the basis of which he was arrested. He further added that Vigilance Bureau’s crackdown on corruption is also helping in image building of CM Mann in front of public. Under his tenure, VB has made the greatest number of arrests as compared to last two years. On being asked Vigilance Bureau also provided all the SOPs regarding the case of RTA Dhaliwal which proved that they followed the correct procedure to carry out an inquiry. Listing to all these reasons Vigilance Bureau received support from CM Bhagwant Mann and Chief Secy VK Janjua.
PCS Officers Association on Monday announced that officers all over Punjab will go on a mass casual leave for one week over the arrest of RTA Dhaliwal by the Vigilance Bureau. The PCS Officers Association has stated that the arrest of Narinder Singh Dhaliwal was illegal, wrongful, and arbitrary. Vigilance Bureau on 6th January 2023 arrested Narinder Singh Dhaliwal (RTA) in Ludhiana for allegedly collecting bribes from transporters.
Vigilance's crackdown on corruption
Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has been able to arrest total 172 accused in 129 bribery cases which includes 83 accused in 65 trap cases and 89 persons in 64 online complaints in the last year. The Vigilance Bureau has set a record in registration of bribery cases, arrests of accused in corruption, registration of criminal cases and arrests made thereof besides filling of vigilance enquiries (VE) and suspects involved in these probes as compared to the last two years.