Chandigarh (Punjab):
The Punjab government has reinstated two senior vigilance bureau officials months after suspending alleged corruption charges. In one step, which criticized fast political, the government also declared its suspension period as “duty time”.
Congress leader and Punjab leader of Prevention (LOP) Partap Singh Bajwa has questioned the government’s intentions behind the entire episode.
He said, “First, the AAP Punjab government in Punjab suspended the officials of the Senior Vigilance Bureau, claiming a rift on corruption. Now, they have been restored in the same positions, and the suspension period is not counted. Both decisions cannot be correct.”
Bajwa went ahead and alleged that suspension could be politically motivated. “Did AAP suspend them to suspend them to fall into line, and now they have complied? It’s not regime. It’s scared,” he said.
According to the official order issued by the Department of Home Affairs, Harpreet Singh Mandar, PPS, has been restored to his post as SSP, Vigilance Bureau, Jalandhar.
The order signed by Additional Chief Secretary Alok Shekhar said, “Sh. Harpreet Singh Mandar’s 25.04.2025 dated suspension order, PPS has been canceled with immediate effect … The officer’s suspension period will be considered as duty period.”
The restoration of the first suspended officers as part of the AAP -led government’s anti -corruption campaign has triggered a backlash from the opposition.
The restoration order was sent to the top officials, which included the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, the Director General of Police, the Chief Director of the Vigilance Bureau, and the Director of Information and Public Relations. It was also sent to OSD, Chief Secretary and other concerned departments for immediate action.
The Punjab government has not yet issued a public explanation for reversal, and no official response has been made to allegations of corruption, which led to suspension in the first place of the authorities.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is published by a syndicated feed.)
