FOPSIA writes to FM Arun Jaitley; Says more Income Tax Investigations require against government officers

Ludhiana, November 4, 2017: Federation of Punjab Small Industries Associations (FOPSIA) president Badish Jindal has written a letter to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley mentioning the subject “Corruption in Punjab State Government Departments, more Income Tax Investigations require against such officers. Mandatory enquiry against such officials whose movable and immovable property data not available on public domain.”

The letter reads as under: “We heartily appreciate your Income Tax Department for recently conducting a raid on few state government employees for the first time, as per news the huge recoveries are expected from the concerned officer.

I would like to remind you your commitment made to me in the Pre Budget Discussion meeting in which your good self told me to bring the cases of corruption and your ensured to investigate all the cases, (copy of the recorded minutes in this regard enclosed)

For last many years the Punjab has become the den of corruption and many big scams such as Bogus Billing in Excise & Taxation Department, Bogus Billing in Local Bodies, misuse of state and central government funds in all departments and Mining Scams occurred in the state during last 10 years.

But unfortunately none of these officials ever enquired by the CBI or Local Vigilance Departments. Just for eyewash a few of lower level officials are made scapegoats but the top officials always feel safe due to the connivance of the higher authorities.

It seems that such corrupt practices are shielded by the higher officials of the state government and this is the reason why the cases of corruption never forwarded to the CBI or any other investigation agencies.

There are around 33000 Group A & B employees working in the Punjab. Beside this around 175 IAS officials also working under state cadre.

As per rule it is mandatory for the State Government Employees to submit the details of their and their dependents (Including spouse, parents and children) movable and immovable properties before 30th of April of consecutive year to the state government.

The heads of the department have to approve it within three months and put it on the Public Domain for general public.

But it is sad to state that neither officers nor the state government is taking this important cause seriously.

The most corrupt officers never provide their data to the Government for vested interests; the special care is given to the most corrupt officers for hiding the data of their movable and immovable properties. Even if they provide the data the higher officials do not post such data on the Public Domain.

By now the State Government was supposed to post all the data of movable and immovable properties of all the PCS, Group A & Group B employees till 2016-17. But unfortunately none of the department has posted the data of their officials.

Many departments have not even posted the data of 2014-15 and 2015-16.

In many cases the names of the tinted officials are missing in the lists uploaded by the State Government.

Further we request you to investigate all the officials whose property details are missing on the site of the department.

You are also requested to investigate the officials who have purchased the property of higher valuations during the service.

We are sending you a list of doubtful officials along with this letter; you are requested to investigate all the cases as we have the confirmed proofs of corruption against these officials. Your officials may contact us for details in this regard.

We ardently hope that our request would get your kind consideration and would be treated accordingly.”