Punjab Govt suspends four, issues show cause notice to others for 'suspicious transactions' of Rs 86 lakh

Chandigarh, December 5: Taking stern action in response to complaints of corruption in state treasury offices, the Finance Department has issued orders suspending a senior assistant and issuing 'Show Cause Notices' to several other officials/employees while the services of three officials/employees were already suspended for suspicious transactions totalling Rs 86 lakh.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema also directed that legal action be taken in this matter.

According to Harpal Cheema, a departmental Inquiry Committee was formed on June 2, 2022, to investigate various complaints about corruption in State Treasury offices as part of the anti-corruption campaign launched by the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

According to the minister, one superintendent, one senior assistant, and one junior assistant were already suspended based on the Inquiry Committee's report, while a senior assistant was suspended today and 'Show Cause Notices' were issued to several other officials/employees of the state level and regional treasury offices for suspicious financial transactions.

As per the report submitted by the Inquiry Committee, total suspicious transactions of Rs.86,44,022 were found and are being further probed.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema urged the Punjab government's honest and dedicated officials and employees, as well as the people of the state, to support the state's anti-corruption initiatives. He stated that the state government would not tolerate any level of corruption.