Suspicious transactions: Punjab govt suspends senior assistant, issues showcause notices to others

The finance department has issued orders to suspend a senior assistant besides issuing ‘Show Cause Notices’ to several other officials/employees of the State Treasury offices, while the services of three officials/employees were already under suspension for suspicious transactions of over ₹86 lakh.

The finance department has issued orders to suspend a senior assistant besides issuing ‘Show Cause Notices’ to several other officials/employees of the State Treasury offices, while the services of three officials/employees were already under suspension for suspicious transactions of over ₹86 lakh. Action was taken on the directions of finance minister Harpal Cheema who had ordered to start legal action in this matter. Cheema said that a departmental Inquiry Committee was formed on June 2, 2022, to investigate various complaints regarding corruption in the State Treasury offices under the anti-corruption campaign launched by the chief minister Bhagwant Mann led Punjab government.

Action was taken on the directions of finance minister Harpal Cheema who had ordered to start legal action in this matter. (Representational photo)

He said that on the basis of the Inquiry Committee’s report, one superintendent, one senior assistants, and one junior assistant were already under suspension, while a senior assistant has been suspended today and ‘Show Cause Notices’ have been issued to several other officials/employees of the state level and regional treasury offices for suspicious financial transactions. Cheema said that according to the report submitted by the Inquiry Committee, total suspicious transactions of ₹86,44,022 were found and are being further probed. Cheema appealed the honest and dedicated officials, and employees of the Punjab government and the people of the state to support the initiatives of ending corruption in the state. He said that the state government would not tolerate corruption at any level.