Staff shortage hits VB

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 25

The Vigilance Bureau, Bathinda range, is facing an acute shortage of staff, which is hampering probe in many cases.

It heads three districts — Bathinda, Mansa and Moga — yet it has only one DSP in place of four. The Patiala SSP has been holding the charge of the Bathinda SSP after Jagjit Singh Bhagtana retired earlier this month.

The department also has only one inspector instead of four, required to carrying on investigation.

At present, SP Bhupinderjit Singh is voluntarily working on DSP scale post. He is the one who is doing the investigation work as well as paper work due to staff crunch.

As per norms, the Vigilance Bureau (VB) has to submit its report within 90 days, but it has failed to do so. It is taking years to complete probes.

As in MCB clerk Ravinder Singh Walia case, the Vigilance Bureau registered a case a few days ago, whereas the probe was started in 2015.

There are other cases as well, which have been under investigation for quite some time, but probe is yet to be completed.

A Vigilance Bureau official, on condition of anonymity, said the present officials mostly address new complaints and focus on laying traps, whereas they don’t get much time to take pending probes forward.

While talking to Bathinda Tribune, Vigilance Bureau SP Bhupinderjit Singh also admitted that the department was facing shortage of staff and it had affected their job.

“At present there is only one DSP and one inspector against four posts. We are heading three districts from here. One DSP and inspector is must for each district to complete probes on time,” he said.

Other districts

The office here heads three districts — Bathinda, Mansa and Moga — yet it has only one DSP in place of four. The Patiala SSP has been holding the charge of the Bathinda SSP after Jagjit Singh Bhagtana retired earlier this month.