Anti-Corruption Action Line Receives 7939 Complaints With Audio/Video Recording Evidence
Chandigarh: The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), in its relentless pursuit of eradicating corruption from the state, has made remarkable progress in its recent anti-corruption campaign. From March 23, 2022, until the present date, the Chief Minister Anti-Corruption Action Line (ACAL) has received a staggering total of 7,939 complaints accompanied by the necessary evidence, signifying the unwavering commitment of CM Bhagwant Maan led Punjab Government to promote transparency and accountability in public administration.
Disclosing this here on Sunday, a spokesperson for the state VB stated that the Bureau was fully dedicated to its mission of eradicating corruption and encourages citizens to continue utilizing the ACAL to report any instances of corruption they encounter. On this citizen centric artificial intelligence enabled platform, any person could file complaints 24 x 7 along with relevant audio and video recording regarding demand of illegal gratification, he added.
Furthermore, the spokesperson informed that to ensure an efficient process, an ‘automatic bot’ had been installed on the web portal to filter out frivolous entries, spam, junk posts and unrelated to corruption. As a result, out of a total of 4,02,133 entries, 3,90,050 entries were identified as irrelevant or classified as junk posts and non-corruption related matters which were duly rejected. This initiative aims to optimize resources and focus solely on actionable complaints that contribute to combating corruption effectively.
Providing additional details, he further explained that out of the remaining 12,083 complaints/entries, a thorough evaluation revealed that 4,144 complaints were further found to be extraneous and unrelated to corruption.
The spokesperson added that among the actionable complaints, the VB handled a total of 7,939 complaints accompanied by audio/video recordings to substantiate the claims made by the complainants. These complaints underwent meticulous analysis, and 3,401 of them were found to be related to other departments. Consequently, these complaints were forwarded to the respective departments for their consideration and appropriate action.
Furthermore, the spokesperson informed that the remaining 394 complaints, supported by audio/video recording evidence, were directly related to corruption allegations. These complaints were forwarded to the concerned Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) in the VB ranges for thorough investigation. As a result of rigorous examinations, a commendable milestone has been achieved, with a total of 88 First Information Reports (FIRs) registered based on the outcomes of the investigations conducted thus far.
He further highlighted that these investigations have resulted in the arrest of 132 accused individuals involved in various bribery cases, including 40 police personnel. Since the commencement of this ongoing anti-corruption campaign in April 2022, the VB has successfully apprehended a total of 359 accused individuals accepting gratification in 298 different corruption cases throughout the state. In addition, 152 vigilance inquiries have been registered for comprehensive investigation, and 99 departmental inquiries have been initiated.
The spokesperson emphasized that the Bureau acknowledges the dedication and professionalism exhibited by its officers, enabling swift and decisive action against those who seek to undermine the principles of honesty and integrity in public service.