Jammu, Dec 31 (UNI) Asserting that corrupt officials have a demoralizing effect on honest public servants, and corruption by public servants has become a gigantic problem, the official spokesman of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday said that this year the department has registered 87 FIRs across the Jammu and Kashmir.
The spokesman added, “Large-scale corruption retards nation-building activities, affecting everyone adversely.
Corruption in any society is inversely proportional to good governance, provoking a range of economic and social problems.”
“Keeping in view the ‘zero tolerance’ for corruption, the Anti-Corruption Bureau has tightened the noose around corrupt officials,” he said adding that in the year 2024, 87 FIRs were registered by J&K Anti-Corruption Bureau including 42 cases in Jammu division and 45 cases in Kashmir division out of which 32 cases were charge-sheeted in the court of law in this year.
He further said, “23 trap cases and 13 case of Disproportionate Assets were registered during the year while 42521 vigilance clearances through online Vigilance Clearance Portal were issued by ACB during the year 2024.”
The Vigilance clearance is sought for the purpose of promotion, regularization, retirement, and obtaining NOC to go abroad .
While continuing its tirade against the unholy nexus of revenue officers and land mafia, 16 FIRs were registered in the year, wherein Custodian land in Asarwan, Mishriwala and Bhalwal area of Jammu district has been found usurped by the land mafia in connivance with the officers/officials of Custodian/ Revenue and Police department, said the spokesman.
To improve the investigation skills of officers of ACB capacity building programme for staff undertaken at CBI Academy Ghaziabad with tailor made programme to do hands on study of Trap/DA/Abuse of official position, he said and added that this will improve the investigation skills of Investigating Officers.
He also said that the ACB receives various complaints through Satrak Nagrik Mobile Application, ACB WhatsApp helpline, email, through post, by hand etc. These complaints are then examined at ACB.
This year 2772 case were sent to DVOs and 2434 were disposed off by DVOs, adding he said, “during the year 2024, UT Vigilance Awareness Week, National Vigilance Awareness Week, International Anti-Corruption Day were celebrated throughout UT wherein stakeholders were made aware of Anti-Corruption Law and Rules regarding transparent and good governess.”
Tackling corruption is not just the job of the government and the Anti-Corruption Bureau; individual and collaborative engagement at all levels is required, he said and added, “it is every citizen’s duty to play their role in exposing and combating corruption within the legal boundaries. Every citizen is a partner in the anti-corruption effort, and their cooperation in reporting instances of demand for bribes and other corruption practices is vital to stamp out the evil of corruption.”
The Anti-Corruption Bureau actively seeks and encourages the cooperation of public-spirited citizens to report instances of corruption. Whenever a citizen reports an instance of demand for a bribe, immediate action is taken by organizing a raid on the corrupt official, followed by the registration of a case, arrest, and trial of such official, he stated.
