To streamline State’s vigilance machinery, the Punjab Government on Friday notified a set of rules barring any of its department, in any case, to initiate a parallel enquiry in a case in which Vigilance Department has already instituted a vigilance inquiry. “Any enquiry ordered by the State Vigilance Department would be named as ‘vigilance enquiry’. The present nomenclature of preliminary enquiry has been completely done away with,” an official spokesperson of the vigilance department said while divulging details of the rules which have been notified.
He said that it has now been made mandatory to complete the vigilance enquiry within a period of three months from the date of the reference sent by the vigilance department to the vigilance bureau. “No extension, except in special circumstances to be recorded in writing to the entire satisfaction of the government or the respective committee and that too well before the expiry of the three months time limit, would be granted,” he added.
He further said that now the investigation in criminal cases would be completed within three months from the date of registration of the first information report (FIR) and intimation sent to the Government for further action.In case of failure to adhere to the time limit, responsibility would be fixed by the Government or the committee and suitable action would be taken, he added.