As per the latest information received by the sources more than 100 cases registered by Vigilance Bureau are till date awaiting prosecution sanction from various government departments. A month back, meeting was conducted between CM Mann and Vigilance Bureau Chief in which the VB chief stated that the cases are not able to reach the end results and are getting delayed as the departments are not providing approval to carry out further investigation.
Soon after this, Chief Secretary VK Janjua called a meeting and directed the concerned Administrative Secretaries of all departments to dispose of all corruption cases in a time-bound manner. The meeting seemed to have no effect on the working of VB as only 2-3 departments approved the sanction while other cases are still on hold.
Reportedly, Vigilance Bureau busted a statewide tax evasion nexus which causes a loss of 100 crores to the state exchequer. In the case 17 excise and taxation officials were involved but no further investigation was carried out as for last two years the VB is seeking sanction from their respective departments. These officials have also sprung up in many of other corruption cases as well.
As per the information, Vigilance Bureau has registered 60 cases of corruption in last two months but in vain as they have not got prosecution sanction for the same.
The recent order by SC states, “four-month statutory provision for granting sanction to prosecute government officials in criminal cases was “mandatory”, and the delay in prosecuting the corrupt “breeds a culture of impunity” leads to “systemic resignation” to corruption in public life.”
The question that arises is Vigilance Bureau is working at its best to uproot corruption from Punjab but the pendency in cases due to delay in prosecution sanction are becoming the biggest hurdle in their working.