As a part of its ongoing rigorous drive against corruption in the government departments, the Haryana State Vigilance Bureau has arrested a total of 91 persons for accepting bribes ranging from Rs 5000 to Rs 5 lakh in separate cases, in the first half of 2022. The State Vigilance Bureau has nabbed 83 government officers in 71 criminal cases, and eight other private individuals in the first half of 2022.
“Adopting a zero-tolerance policy against corruption has resulted in the arrests of 10 Gazetted Officers and 73 Non-Gazetted officials from January to 30 June 2022. On average, 15 public servants were arrested on corruption charges every month,” the spokesperson of the State Vigilance Bureau said on Thursday.
23 police personnel, 18 officials of the Revenue Department, 15 of Power Utilities, 8 of Urban Local Bodies, three each of Excise and Taxation and Social Justice and Empowerment, two each of Transport, Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and Mining Departments were nabbed while taking bribes ranging from Rs 5000 to Rs 5 lakh in separate cases, he further revealed.
Highlighting the arrests of high-ranking officers, the spokesperson said, “two Chief Engineers of the Urban Local Bodies department have been arrested for siphoning off public funds and an HCS officer was arrested during the investigation of a trap case.”
“A District Town Planner was caught red-handed taking a bribe of Rs 5,00,000, and hence was arrested along with his co-accused Tehsildar,” the spokesperson added.
A Superintending Engineer of a Municipal Corporation was caught accepting Rs 50,000 while a Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner was caught red-handed taking a Rs 50,000 bribe. A District Horticulture Officer was nabbed taking Rs 30,000, while an Executive Engineer of HSVP (Horticulture) was arrested taking Rs 30,000.
Adding further, he said that an Executive Engineer of the Municipal Committee was arrested, while two Sub Divisional Officers were also caught red-handed taking a bribe of Rs 28,000.
A District Attorney was caught red-handed taking Rs 2,500, while a Naib Tehsildar was nabbed accepting Rs 14,000.
“A Building Inspector was arrested taking Rs 5,00,000, and an Assistant Sub Inspector was nabbed red-handed for taking Rs 4,00,000. The Taxation Inspector was nabbed red-handed taking Rs 2,00,000 and a Police Inspector of Gujarat police was nabbed taking Rs 2,00,000 at Gurugram,” he added.
Besides this, six Junior Engineers, ten Patwari, one Taxation Inspector, one Police Inspector, eight Sub Inspectors and seven Assistant Sub Inspectors were also caught red-handed while taking bribes, during this period, he said.
The Bureau has also urged the people to fight against corruption and report complaints of bribery on its Toll-Free Helpline No. 1800-180-2022 and 1064.
It is pertinent to mention that two of the government officials also got caught taking bribes on 14 July 2022. The State Vigilance Bureau has arrested a Superintendent of Deputy Commissioner’s office and a Police officer, red-handed while accepting bribes worth Rs 20,000 and Rs 4000 respectively. Both the officials have been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act.