VIGILANCE BUREAU STATUS REPORT IN HIGH COURT CONFIRMS NO CONCRETE EVIDENCE.
Face2News/Chandigarh
In a major development providing complete legal vindication, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has officially granted a clean chit to former cabinet ministers in Akali-BJP Govt. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Janmeja Singh Sekhon and three retired IAS officers in the multi-crore irrigation department inquiry. In a status report filed before the Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Vigilance Bureau confirmed that an exhaustive, multi-year investigation yielded no evidence of bribery, financial recovery, or wrongdoing against Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Sekhon and others .
This is also seen as an administrative fairness and objective law enforcement, demonstrating that the government is not involved in political vendetta politics.
No Evidence or Recovery Found in Detailed Inquiry
According to the status affidavit submitted by DSP Jai Inder Singh Randhawa on behalf of the Vigilance Bureau, the probe (Vigilance Inquiry No. 08, dated September 29, 2022) was registered solely on the basis of a disclosure statement made on December 21, 2017, by contractor Gurinder Singh in connection with FIR No. 10 (dated August 17, 2017).
The Vigilance Bureau’s official submission highlights the following key facts:
Inadmissibility under Section 27: No monetary recovery or financial trail was ever established following the disclosure statement. Under Section 27 of the Evidence Act, an uncorroborated disclosure without recovery holds no legal significance.
Absence of Corroboration: After scrutinising over 588 pages of investigation material and official departmental records, no witnesses came forward to support allegations of bribery, nor were any specific dates, times, or locations identified.
Exclusion from Challans: The initial disclosure statement was not even made part of the official challans presented in court.Complete Vindication Across Political & Executive Rungs
The High Court, while hearing a PIL on May 15, 2026, had directed the state to conclude the pending Section 17A inquiry within 15 days. In compliance, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (VB Flying Squad) submitted the final report, which was approved by the Chief Director, Vigilance Bureau, to formally close and consign the inquiry to the record room.
While the main 2017 FIR pertained to alleged irregularities in tender allocations between 2007 and 2017 involving 32 individuals, the separate Vigilance Inquiry examining the political executive and senior bureaucracy concluded with zero findings of guilt. Alongside former ministers Sharanjit Singh Dhillon and Sekhon, three retired IAS officers—Sarvesh Kaushal, KBS Sidhu, and Kahan Singh Pannuhave also been fully cleared completely exonerated of all charges.
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