The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) registered 303 cases and 39 officers were convicted by the courts between November 2016 and November 20 this year, said its Director General R.P. Thakur at a press conference here on Wednesday.
Seventeen corrupt officials, who were trapped, had been terminated from service as their guilt was proved under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, said Mr. Thakur.
“The ACB has given the ‘Red’ (Most corrupt officers harassing the public), ‘Orange’ (corrupt officials) and ‘Green’ (good) categories to staff in the government departments and officers who are in ‘Red’ are our target,” he said.
Mr. Thakur said 146 trap cases, 47 disproportionate assets and eight criminal misconduct cases, 43 surprise checks and 59 regular inquiries were conducted.
“The ACB booked 265 cases in 2015, 262 in 2016 and 272 cases in 2017 so far. We are focussing on reimbursement of the amount seized during the traps to the victims. While ₹50.35 lakh was returned, ₹40 lakh would be reimbursed to the complainants soon,” he said.
Last year, 38 persons (64%) were convicted by the ACB Courts and this year 39 officers were given conviction till November 20, which was 65%. Pensions were stopped to nine accused, he said.
“We are maintaining a good informant network and internal intelligence, and are keeping a vigil on the employees who are in the ‘Red’ category and bad behaviour.
“The ACB is using the latest technologies such as ‘Dial 1100’, email, ‘Toll Free No.1064’, twitter and other methods to trap the corrupt officers and we have many future plans to make AP, a corruption-free State,” Mr. Thakur said.