1.25-L calls made to anti-corruption helpline in one month

In the one month since it was reactivated, over 1.25 lakh calls have been made to Delhi government's anti-corruption helpline with the highest number of complaints coming against officials of civic bodies, police, transport and Jal Board, sources said.

According to a senior official, the 1031 helpline has received a staggering 1,25,065 calls since Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal relaunched it at a function here at Talkatora stadium on April 5.

The helpline was first introduced during Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) 49-day stint in government after the 2013 Assembly polls, but was later discontinued. Reviving the helpline had been one of the major poll promises of AAP this year.

"Executives of the helpline answered 1,10,380 calls in the last one month. Of these, 510 complaints were marked to trained and authorised facilitators," the official said.

Of these 510 complaints, 252 were found to be fit for referral to the Anti-Corruption Branch, the official added.

At present, there are 79 calls whch are pending scrutiny by ACB while 169 are being followed up. Seven cases have been disposed of and 25 cases were registered.

"Also, 6,000 calls were such that the complaints looked credible but the complainant could not provide proof and the cases were put under surveillance," the official said.

The helpline can be used by the public to lodge complaints in case they are harassed for bribes by government officials.

The official said that the helpline also received many calls which did not pertain to corruption but were related to local grievances.

After scanning the calls, it was found that the highest number of complaints of corruption had come against officials of civic bodies, police, transport and Jal board.

The official said that the government is trying to ensure that no call made on the helpline goes unanswered. 

The Anti-Corruption Branch of Delhi government arrested three people, including a government employee, for taking bribes from truck drivers at Azadpur market.

In another case, an FIR was filed against five government teachers for allegedly allowing students to cheat in Std 12 exams in exchange for a bribe.

The anti-graft helpline also led to the arrest of a Delhi Police head constable for allegedly accepting a bribe in the Sonia Vihar area of north-east Delhi.

Also, an FIR was registered against a Delhi Police woman inspector for demanding a bribe of Rs 2 lakh from a widow after threatening to implicate her in her husband's murder.