Chandigarh: Letters have been sent to all govt departments to not repost officials and employees caught red-handed accepting bribes to the same district, announced Haryana State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (HSVACB) chief Dr Arshinder Singh Chawla on Thursday.Chawla said the decision was taken after ACB’s high-power committee found such instances had been weakening public confidence and affecting enforcement.The ACB has also prepared a list of 190 officials and employees facing repeated corruption complaints. The bureau is analysing their records and planning targeted action to catch offenders. It is also studying complaints from departments at its seven police stations to identify corruption hotspots across offices, districts and departments.The ACB has conducted 138 successful operations in 2026 to catch govt officials and employees accepting bribes. Excluding govt holidays, nearly one official or employee has been caught taking a bribe every second day, Chawla said.To reduce the financial burden on complainants during trap operations, govt has created a revolving fund for reimbursement of money used in such cases. A simplified procedure has been notified, requiring the complainant to submit an affidavit before the court that the amount will be returned to the govt account after final disposal of the case.ACB is also testing a mobile app to simplify complaint filing. The app will allow citizens to connect with the helpline through one touch and will include OTP-based security features to protect complainants’ identities.Since Jan 1, courts have awarded rigorous punishment to 23 officials and employees in 21 corruption cases.
