Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) nabbed 157 officials of different departments and 25 private persons while accepting bribes in 131 trap cases last year, the maximum from police department.
VB Chief Director-cum- ADGP, BK Uppal, on Wednesday said adopting a zero tolerance policy towards all forms of corruption, the Bureau had nabbed 17 gazzeted officers (GOs) and 140 non-gazzetted officials (NGOs) int he year 208.
The VB Chief said that during the year, apart from other departments, 49 personnel of Punjab Police, 35 of Revenue Department, 19 of Power, 12 of Panchayats and Rural Development, 6 of Health department, 4 of Local Bodies and 4 of Food & Civil Supply department were nabbed red handed while taking bribes in separate cases.
Uppal said that VB had registered 22 criminal cases against 94 accused which include 22 GOs, 41 NGOs and 31 private persons. Apart from this, 77 Vigilance Enquires have also been registered to probe corruption complaints against 39 GOs, 49 NGOs and 39 private persons. Besides, disproportionate Assets cases were also registered against four NGOs.
He said the Bureau had been able to complete 31 Vigilance Enquiries and secured 36 percent conviction rate in vigilance cases from special courts during the year. Various special courts have sentenced 58 accused in 35 cases under prevention of corruption act.