Chandigarh: Three retired senior Indian Administrative Service officers, including former Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal, have been given a clean chit by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau in connection with the ₹1,200-crore irrigation scam. In a status report submitted before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the investigative agency stated that a comprehensive inquiry failed to yield any concrete evidence substantiating corruption or bribery allegations against the former bureaucrats. Alongside Kaushal, the probe cleared former Special Chief Secretary KBS Sidhu and former Irrigation Secretary Kahan Singh Pannu.
The status report was submitted following a High Court directive on May 15 instructing state authorities to conclude the pending inquiry within a strict timeframe. The High Court had issued the order after observing that the probe, initiated under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, had remained unresolved for over three years. The Vigilance Bureau informed the court that neither bribe money was recovered nor did any witnesses come forward to validate the corruption charges against the three retired officers.
The case pertains to the alleged tailormade allocation of major irrigation projects worth between ₹1,000 crore and ₹1,200 crore during the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP government between 2007 and 2017. Investigations revealed that the probe against the three officers relied almost exclusively on a disclosure statement made by prime accused contractor Gurinder Singh in December 2017. However, the bureau noted that the statement lacked financial recovery or supporting documentation, rendering it legally insufficient to proceed with prosecution.
Investigators examined 588 pages of material, official files, and 16 chargesheets filed against 32 individuals in the primary case. The bureau also reviewed departmental workflows, including tender approvals, administrative sanctions, and payment clearances across various administrative and political levels. Finding no material evidence or specific link connecting the former IAS officers to the alleged financial irregularities, the Vigilance Bureau formally submitted its findings to the state government and the High Court.
