Punjab bureaucracy and police witnessed a major development on Sunday when the state government revoked the suspension of PPS officer Harpreet Singh Mander and reinstated him as Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Vigilance Bureau, Jalandhar, with immediate effect. PPS Officer Harpreet Singh Mander's suspension was revoked after an internal probe found no evidence of corruption or misconduct on his part in the alleged driving license scam.
Why was Harpreet Singh Mander suspended?
For the unversed, on April 25, 2025, three top officers of the Vigilance Bureau were suspended by the Punjab Government: ADGP Surinder Pal Singh Parmar, AIG Swarandeep Singh, and SSP Harpreet Singh Mander. The action was taken over alleged inaction in a high-profile driving license scam that involved serious administrative failures and possible corruption in issuing licenses.
What was the driving license scam?
Before April, the Vigilance Bureau had conducted state-wide raids at several Regional Transport Officer (RTO) offices and driving test centres. After the raid, it was found that many licences were being issued without proper driving tests through agents who were taking bribes from applicants. As per reports, 16 FIRs were registered and 24 people were arrested, including private agents and some government staff.
Investigations had revealed that agents were bypassing the automated driving test system in multiple ways. Punjab has 32 automated tracks where driving tests are recorded on video and scored digitally. Agents, in collusion with RTO officials, were copy-pasting old video footage of candidates who had passed and were uploading it under the names of new applicants who never actually took the test.
Why did Harpreet Singh Mander get a clean chit?
Sources familiar with the investigation told True Scoop that during internal inquiries, no role of misconduct or suppression was found against Mander. Based on these findings, the government deemed it unjustified to keep him under suspension.
The Punjab Home Department, with approval from the competent Authority, revoked the suspension via order no. 02/15/2025-2H1/838-843 dated May 18, 2025, and reinstated him as SSP Vigilance Bureau, Jalandhar. His suspension period has also been counted as duty, clearing his service record.
ADGP Surinder Pal Singh Parmar's suspension to continue
Notably, ADGP Surinder Pal Singh Parmar’s suspension has now been confirmed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. According to a letter issued by the MHA, the suspension was reviewed and approved under Rule 3(1) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969. The central ministry has extended his suspension till June 23, 2025, and advised the Punjab Government to issue a charge sheet against him before that date. A copy of the charge sheet is also to be sent to the Ministry for official records.
AIG Swarandeep Singh also reinstated
In a parallel decision, the Punjab Government also revoked the suspension of AIG Swarandeep Singh, PPS, who had also been suspended in the same case. Swarandeep Singh has been directed to assume charge as AIG Flying Squad, Vigilance Bureau, Punjab, SAS Nagar. Like Mander, his suspension period will also be treated as duty.
Punjab Govt's zero tolerance against corruption
These back-to-back decisions highlight the Punjab Government’s commitment to fact-based governance. While action was taken swiftly during the scam’s exposure, the revocation of suspensions for Mander and Swarandeep Singh confirms that officers not found guilty will not be punished. In contrast, the Centre’s firm stance on Parmar, with instructions for formal proceedings, signals that allegations at the top levels will be thoroughly pursued where needed.