From day one after assuming charge of his office, the Chief Minister had promised corruption-free, transparent and clean administration to the people for which a number of initiatives have been taken. He had released an anti-corruption helpline number to facilitate people for lodging their complaints against corruption through WhatsApp. This helpline has done miracles as people are using it as an effective tool in their war against corruption.
Till now there have been 28 F.I.R. According to the sources, many big names can come out in the coming days, in which leaders and officers can be involved. The government has requested to re-examine the 1000 crore irrigation scam and if they get this permission, then the names of more than half a dozen bureaucrats and big politicians can come out.
Punjab Vigilance Bureau has also arrested Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Sanjay Popli for allegedly demanding a 1% commission as a bribe for clearance of tenders for laying of sewerage pipeline at Nawanshahr. The officer's corruption connection with Jalandhar has also been revealed.
According to sources, during CM Channi's tenure, the Congress leader of Jalandhar met the Congress leader of Madhya Pradesh and got the posting of IAS Popli done here. Now the Vigilance Department is taking action whether the Bribe IAS officer has taken, it was further distributed among these politicians as well. Tenders worth approximately 650 crores have been passed during the tenure of IAS Sanjay Popli. Now it will be checked whether the commission is also taken for passing these tenders and with whom it has been shared further. In the coming time, the names of many more officers may come to the fore.
These are the some of the scams that the government has investigated recently:
Forest Scam:
Vigilance Bureau had caught the DFO and contractor of Mohali on charges of corruption. The Punjab Vigilance Bureau claimed that the minister used to take a share of Rs 500 for every tree felling. This tree felling was done with a legal permit. The minister's henchmen used to deal directly with the tree felling contractor. Apart from this, the share of officers was also fixed.
Not only this, there are allegations that there was a deal for posting DFO for 10 to 20 lakh rupees. The whole game of bribery of Minister Dharamsot was done in an organized manner. However, Dharamsot's family has termed it as false.
According to sources, 15 contractors who cut and planted trees, in this case, are under the scanner of the Vigilance Bureau. In the investigation so far, it has been found that for cutting a tree, Rs 500 was given to the minister, Rs 200 to the DFO, and Rs 100 each to the range officer, block officer, and a forest guard. In this way, corruption of one thousand rupees used to be behind a tree.
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The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has arrested former Forest Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot. Along with Dharamsot, Kamaljit Singh, a local journalist, and Chamkaur Singh have also been arrested. All of them are accused of bribery in every work especially in granting permission to fell trees. As many as 25000 trees were clandestinely felled with Dharamsot's permission alleges Vigilance Bureau.
Tender Scam:
Former Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu is being accused of involvement in a tender scam. It has been alleged that the minister has favored some people during the allotment of the tenders while ignoring the small contractors.
Under Investigation:
Sanitizer Scam:
OP Soni, while being the Health Minister, is accused of buying sanitizer at three times higher price during Covid, whose entire record has been demanded by the Revenue
Department.
The money spent during the pandemic was taken from the Disaster Management Fund. The Revenue Department has asked the Health Department to present all the records within a week. The Revenue Department has also asked Health Department Secretary Ajay Sharma to send the entire file along with the original copy of the permission given for the purchase.
According to the information, 1.80 lakh bottles were purchased for the Election Commission at the rate of Rs 54.54 per bottle, while the Health Department bought the same sanitizer for itself at almost three times more price at Rs 160 per bottle. The then Health Minister OP Soni had given permission on the file to buy sanitizers for the health department.
Raja Warring:
Being the Transport Minister, allegations of a scam worth Rs 30.24 crore are being made regarding the body of buses on Raja Warring. Despite having a low-cost body in Punjab, the bodies were installed by a Jaipur-based company during Raja Warring’s tenure as the transport minister. For this, more money was spent. At the same time, buses were sent to Rajasthan using around 1.5 crores of diesel.
For three months, Raja Warring served as the minister of transportation in the Charanjit Channi-led Congress government. 840 buses were brought for Punjab Roadways and PRTC at this time, whose bodies were fitted by the company of Rajasthan. The company of Rajasthan took 12 lakh rupees for the body of a bus. In this way, a total of Rs 100.80 crore was spent.