The State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Haryana, has sent letters to all government departments directing them to ensure that officials and employees caught red-handed accepting bribes are not posted in the same district again in the future.“This decision was reached following deliberations by the SV&ACB’s High-Power Committee and will be implemented soon,” said SV&ACB chief Arshinder Singh Chawla.Chawla said instances had been observed in which an official or employee, after facing action for corruption, was subsequently posted back to the same district after some time.“Such occurrences could adversely affect the objective of anti-corruption measures and undermine public trust. Taking this matter seriously, the ACB’s High-Power Committee discussed the issue and proposed necessary action to the government. Consequently, all government departments have been instructed to take the necessary steps to avoid re-posting such individuals in the same district,” he said.The SV&ACB has compiled a list of 190 officials and employees in the state against whom repeated complaints or inputs regarding corruption have been received. The information available on these individuals is being analysed, and necessary measures are being taken to catch them red-handed while accepting bribes, Chawla said.He added that another objective is to identify the departments, offices and sectors generating the highest number of corruption-related complaints and to pinpoint areas emerging as corruption hotspots.A total of 138 successful trap operations have been conducted so far in 2026, resulting in government officials and employees being caught red-handed while accepting bribes.Chawla said the action indicated that members of the general public are now coming forward to lodge complaints about corruption and that their confidence in the system has been strengthened by the SV&ACB’s actions. He noted that, excluding public holidays, a government official or employee has been caught red-handed accepting a bribe, on average, almost every other day. He clarified that this figure represents not merely the number of actions taken, but also reflects the fact that people are stepping forward to report corruption.Since January 1, 2026, various courts have handed down sentences to 23 officials and employees in 21 cases.Chawla emphasised that action in corruption cases is not limited to arrests alone; the SV&ACB is also focusing on effectively pursuing cases to ensure that those found guilty are convicted by the courts.Revolving fundThe ACB chief said the government has established a revolving fund to cover the money provided or used by complainants during trap operations. A notification has been issued to simplify this process compared with the past.Under the prescribed procedure, the complainant must submit an affidavit to the court stating that the amount in question will be deposited back into the government treasury once the case reaches a final verdict. This arrangement helps alleviate the financial burden on people reporting corruption, allowing them to file complaints without additional anxiety, he added.