State Vigilance Bureau in a major drive against corruption in public sphere has arrested five Gazzetted Officers (GOs) and 19 Non-Gazzetted Officers (NGOs) in 17 different cases last month.

Disclosing this here today, Punjab Vigilance Bureau Joint Dierctor (Admn) Harcharn Singh Bhullar said, the State Vigilance Bureau had secured the conviction of four corrupt officials in four different cases. Those convicted in special courts included Kamaljit Singh, JE Sewerage Board Ferozpur, for one and half year imprisonment for embezzlement and two police officials for two years imprisonment each in two different trap cases.

''The Bureau has put up its best efforts to eradicate corruption amongst public servants and others in every sphere in the State. In this direction, the Vigilance officers have registered trap cases, disproportionate assets cases and criminal cases and ensured that suspects do not escape judicial punishment'', Mr Bhullar said.

He added that during this period VB had registered four vigilance enquiries and 355 fresh complaints and ordered probe into the allegations.

Giving details, he added that, as a result of this drive against corruption, in the last month, 12 trap cases were registered in which Registrar, Punjab University Patiala, Baldev Singh, was arrested accepting bribe of Rs One lakh. Three NGOs of Central Excise and Taxation at Ludhiana were also arrested accepting bribe of Rs 40,000. Besides, these four PSEB officials and two police officials were also nabbed red handed. A disproportionate assets case has been registered against one SDO of PSEB at Faridkot.

He further added that during this period a criminal case had been registered against four Markfed officials during the surprise checking of godowns at Banur. Another criminal case had also been registered against two police officials posted at Vigilance Security wing of PSEB at Patiala who had accepted gratifications from four PSEB officials during checking of offices.