48 officials held in bribery cases by Vigilance and Anti-Corruption so far in 2022

 130 persons arrested for corruption since 2017

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Assam's Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (VAC) has succeeded in providing a new impetus to the state government's zero-tolerance policy against corruption.

According to data released on Thursday by Assam's Special Director General of Police (DGP) GP Singh, as many as 50 government officials and middlemen have been trapped and arrested in corruption cases so far this year. Those arrested include 48 public servants and two middlemen.

Since 2017, a total of 130 persons have been arrested in bribery cases.

The data for the period between 2017 and October 19, 2022 reveals a sharp rise since 2021 not only in the number of arrests made by the VAC, but also in the number of cases registered.

In 2017, 11 public servants were trapped and arrested while taking bribes and ultimately nine cases were registered. In 2018, 22 persons (including three middlemen) were arrested for graft by the VAC and 18 cases were registered. In 2019, 13 government officials and three middlemen were arrested and 12 cases were registered. In 2020, 18 persons (including two middlemen) were arrested and 13 cases were registered.

However, the data shows that the number of corruption-related arrests and cases registered rose exponentially in the period between May, 2021 and October 19 this year. No fewer than 61 government officials and two middlemen have been arrested since May, 2021. A total of 55 cases have also been registered in connection with the arrests. Significantly, apart from the arrest of 50 persons for corruption this year, a total of 44 cases have been also registered.

In all, 39 charge sheets have been filed since May last year.

It is pertinent to mention Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has persistently reiterated that the war against corruption will continue unabated.

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