Himachal Pradesh State Vigilance & Anti-Corruption Bureau :

H.P. State Vigilance & Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV&ACB) came into existence in the year 2006, consequent to the merger of the erstwhile Anti-Corruption Unit and Enforcement Department of the State, and it started its functioning as a separate entity w.e.f. 1st April, 2007, consequent to the allocation of separate budget. The Bureau has 3 Ranges i.e. Southern Range Shimla, Central Range Mandi & Northern Range Dharamshala, and Special Investigation Unit (SIU) at Shimla, comprising of 12 police stations located at Shimla, Solan, Nahan, Reckong Peo, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Mandi, Kullu, Keylong, Una, Dharamshala and Chamba.

The State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau enquires into the complaints and investigates cases relating to corruption and economic offences, including the cases under I.P.C; Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988; HP Prevention of Specific Corrupt Practices Act, 1983; Essential Commodities Act; Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act 1985; Motor Vehicle Act 1988; The Indian Forest Act 1927; The Punjab Excise Act, 1914 as applicable in HP; The H.P. Forest (Sales of Timbers) Act, 1968; Central Sales Tax Act, 1956; and the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972. The Bureau initiates enquires/investigations into complaints/cases against NonGazetted Officers at its own level, but the complaints/cases against Gazetted Officers are enquired/investigated by it with prior approval of the Government as per the provisions of para 4 of Chapter-II of the State Vigilance Manual. Besides, the Government also assigns to it other enquiries from time to time. The Bureau furnishes reports, when called for, to the Government for issuance of Vigilance Clearance Certificates (VCCs) in favour of officers/officials of government departments.

History :

Vigilance Department was created in Himachal Pradesh in the year 1965, when the State was still a Union Territory. At that time, the jurisdiction of the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) extended to the whole of Union Territory and procedures laid down in the CVC Vigilance Manual were followed in dealing with disciplinary cases against government servants. On 25th January 1971, consequent to attainment of statehood, the functions of the CVC were taken over by the Himachal Pradesh Vigilance Department and the investigation work was assigned to its Anti-Corruption Unit.

In the year 2006, the erstwhile Anti-Corruption Unit and Enforcement Department were merged vide HP Govt. Notification No. Per (Vig) A (4)-2/99 dated 15.11.2006, and a new organization i.e. H.P. State Vigilance & Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV&ACB) came into existence, which it started functioning as separate organization w.e.f. 1st April, 2007, consequent to allocation of separate budget. It now comprises of 3 Ranges i.e. Southern Range Shimla, Central Range Mandi & Northern Range Dharamshala, and Special Investigation Unit (SIU) at Shimla; and 12 police stations.

Mandate of State Vigilance & Anti-Corruption Bureau :

The vigilance Department can have an enquiry made into; (a) Any transaction in which a public servant is suspected or alleged to have acted for an improper or In a corrupt manner, (b)Into any complaint that a public servant had exercised or refrained from exercising his powers with an improper or corrupt motive, and (c) Into any complaint of misconduct or lack of integrity or of any malpractices or misdemeanor on the part of a public servant.

Functions/duties of the State Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau :

(a) The State Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau enquires into the complaints and investigates the cases relating to corruption and economic offences, including the cases under Indian Panel Code, Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988,(Amendment) Act,2018, HP Prevention of Specific Corrupt Practices Act 1983, Essential Commodities Act, Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act 1985, Motor Vehicle Act 1988, The Indian Forest Act 1927, The Himachal Pradesh Excise Act, 2011, The H.P. Forest (Sales of Timbers) Act, 1968, Central Sales Tax Act, 1956, The Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.

(b) The Bureau initiates enquires/investigations into complaints/cases against Non-Gazetted Officers at its own level, but the complaints/cases against Gazetted Officers are enquired/investigated by it with prior approval of the Government as per provisions of para 4 of Chapter-II of Vigilance Manual. Besides, the Government also assigns to it other enquiries from time to time. The Bureau furnishes reports, when called for, to the Government for issuance of vigilance clearance certificates (VCCs) in favour of officers/officials of the respective Departments.