Chandigarh: The Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Government has revoked the suspension of two senior Vigilance Bureau (VB) officers – AIG Flying Squad Swarandeep Singh and SSP Vigilance Jalandhar Harpreet Singh Mander (Both PPS officer) – just days after they were suspended for alleged inaction in the driving licence scam. The revocation is effective immediately, according to an order issued on Sunday by Alok Shekhar, Additional Chief Secretary, Home.
However, the suspension of Surinder Pal Singh Parmar, a 1997-batch IPS officer and former chief of the Vigilance Bureau, remains in place. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has confirmed his suspension and directed the Punjab Government to issue a charge-sheet to him by June 23, 2025. Sources indicate that a final decision on his status will be made after Parmar files his reply.
Read Also: Punjab: Senior IPS Officer Surinder Pal Singh Parmar Suspended Until June 23, 2025
The trio was initially suspended over allegations of failing to act on credible evidence in the high-profile scam involving the illegal issuance of driving licences. The scam allegedly involved RTA officials and middlemen accepting bribes to manipulate test results and fast-track processing.
Political Fallout and Accusations of Intimidation
Reacting to the reinstatement of Swarandeep Singh and Harpreet Singh Mander, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa launched a scathing attack on the AAP government. In a post on social media platform ‘X’, he wrote:
“First AAP government suspended senior Vigilance Bureau officers claiming a crackdown on corruption. Now, they’re reinstated – same posts, suspension period not even counted. Both decisions can’t be right. Did AAP suspend them to make them fall in line, and now they’ve complied? This isn’t governance. It’s intimidation.”
Context: Action and Inaction in the Licence Scam
The suspensions were initially announced on April 15, with the government citing inaction by the Vigilance Bureau despite available evidence. A show-cause notice was served to SPS Parmar, but reportedly, no significant follow-up action was taken. The government also suspected possible internal leaks from the VB that may have helped the accused evade arrest.
In parallel, the Vigilance Bureau had recently stepped up its operations. Surprise raids were conducted last month at various Regional Transport Authority (RTA) offices and driving test centres across Punjab. These operations led to the arrest of multiple RTA officials and agents involved in bribery and malpractice.
The case has seen three leadership changes at the top of the Vigilance Bureau in recent months. After the removal of Varinder Kumar in February and G Nageshwar Rao in March, Additional DGP (NRI) Praveen Kumar Sinha is currently holding additional charge as Chief Director, VB.
