
U'khand: High-profile arrests, 71 per cent conviction rate marks CM Dhami's anti-corruption push
Over the past four and a half years, the Vigilance Department has conducted 82 trap operations, resulting in 94 arrests, including 13 gazetted officers.
Backed by a 71 per cent conviction rate, Uttarakhand's anti-corruption campaign has firmly transitioned from principled declarations to concrete, courtroom victories.
Among the most notable cases are arrests of senior officials across departments; a PWD Assistant Engineer in Nainital caught soliciting Rs 10,000; a UPCL Junior Engineer in Dehradun accepting Rs 15,000; and a Roadways AGM (assistant general manager) in Kashipur detained for a Rs 90,000 bribe.
The District Excise Officer in Rudrapur was apprehended for accepting a ten percent commission on liquor consignments worth Rs 10 lakh.
These arrests reflect the breadth of the crackdown, extending from technical cadres to regulatory authorities.
The Chief Minister has directed all departments to withhold key responsibilities from accused officials until final judicial outcomes are reached.
A toll-free helpline (1064) has been launched to encourage public reporting, and prosecution timelines in trap cases have been fast-tracked.
According to the official data, arrests have steadily increased year-on-year; 7 in 2021; 15 in 2022; 20 in 2023, and 38 in 2024.
As of mid-July 2025, 14 arrests have already been recorded. In a parallel disciplinary action, the Uttarakhand Drinking Water Corporation suspended Superintending Engineer Sujit Kumar Vikas following grave allegations of financial misconduct.
The officer allegedly facilitated a Rs 10 lakh transfer to a firm linked to his spouse in exchange for departmental favours.
Despite being given time to respond, he failed to submit a clarification, prompting immediate suspension.
The Corporation's Chairman clarified that the charges were of a serious nature and that Vikas' continued presence in Haldwani would adversely affect the morale and integrity of other officials.
He has now been reassigned to the General Manager (Training) office in Roorkee for the duration of the inquiry.
This layered approach -- combining legal prosecution with administrative discipline -- signals a new era in Uttarakhand's governance, where ethical conduct is not merely expected but enforced.
Under CM Dhami's leadership, the state appears determined to transform its bureaucratic culture, restoring public trust through transparency, accountability, and swift justice.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)

Business Standard
11 minutes ago
- Business Standard
CoinDCX joins list of the biggest crypto breaches in recent times
In a major breach on July 18, Mumbai-based cryptocurrency exchange CoinDCX confirmed a hacking attack that resulted in a loss of approximately $44 million (nearly Rs 368 crore). The incident targeted an internal operational account used for liquidity operations on a partner exchange. The affected account, the company clarified, did not hold any customer assets. Sumit Gupta, co-founder of CoinDCX, described the breach as "sophisticated", revealing that hackers had exploited a server vulnerability. He further stated that the financial loss would be absorbed through the company's treasury reserves, which are 'sufficiently healthy' to cover the damage. The CoinDCX attack comes amid a broader wave of crypto hacks globally, once again raising questions about the actual security of blockchain-based platforms. While blockchains themselves are designed to be secure, the surrounding infrastructure — including wallets, bridges, exchanges, and operational accounts — continues to face vulnerabilities. According to blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis, over $1.7 billion in cryptocurrency was stolen in 2023, following a record $3.8 billion in 2022. Which were the largest crypto hacks? The biggest theft in the sector's history remains the $625 million hack of the Ronin Network in March 2022. This breach targeted the Axie Infinity blockchain game, with hackers — later linked to North Korea's Lazarus Group — making off with Ether and stablecoins. Only a small portion of the stolen funds was recovered. Following closely is the Poly Network hack of August 2021, where over $611 million was stolen. In a rare twist, the anonymous hacker returned most of the funds, claiming the act was carried out 'for fun.' The Binance BNB Bridge suffered a $569 million breach in October 2022 due to a flaw in its smart contract, while Japan's Coincheck exchange lost $532 million in 2018 through vulnerabilities in its hot wallets. In November 2022, FTX, once a major player in the crypto world, lost over $477 million on the same day it filed for bankruptcy. The company confirmed the hack on its Telegram channel, even warning users to delete its apps. Why are cross-chain bridges and DeFi platforms popular targets? A common pattern across recent breaches is the targeting of cross-chain bridges — platforms that allow cryptocurrencies to be transferred between different blockchains. The Wormhole attack in February 2022 resulted in a $325 million theft, while Nomad Bridge lost $190 million shortly after. In March 2023, Euler Finance, a DeFi lending platform, suffered a $197 million flash loan attack. Surprisingly, the attacker later returned much of the stolen funds, citing safety concerns. In May 2024, Japan's DMM Bitcoin exchange reported a $305 million theft, with Lazarus Group again suspected. Bybit, a major global exchange, disclosed a $1.5 billion breach in February, marking one of the largest losses to date. In July last year, India's WazirX suffered a $230 million theft — one of the biggest cyberattacks on an Indian exchange. Many of the affected 15 million investors reportedly faced severe financial hardship. Meanwhile, Iran's largest exchange, Nobitex, lost $90 million amid geopolitical tensions. The stolen funds carried messages allegedly criticising Iran's Revolutionary Guard. How do hackers launder stolen crypto? Tracking stolen crypto assets remains a key challenge. In the WazirX case, Netherlands-based Crystal Intelligence revealed that most of the stolen funds were laundered via TornadoCash, an open-source platform known for anonymising transactions. Only around $6 million remains traceable. Are blockchain projects truly secure? Despite claims of blockchain being 'ultra-secure', repeated cyberattacks suggest otherwise. In 2024, around $2.2 billion worth of cryptocurrencies were stolen. This followed losses of $1.7 billion in 2023 and $3.8 billion in 2022, according to blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis. The figures continue to expose vulnerabilities across exchanges, cross-chain bridges, and decentralised finance (DeFi) platforms. The trend continued into 2024, with fresh breaches reported globally. Even established exchanges like Coinbase have not been immune. In May this year, it estimated losses between $180 million and $400 million following a cyberattack that exploited insider leaks. The company confirmed that multiple contractors and employees working outside the US were paid by hackers to gather internal data. State-sponsored actors, especially North Korea's Lazarus Group, continue to dominate the crypto hacking space. The group has been linked to major breaches, including Ronin, DM Bitcoin, and Bybit. Is crypto security a myth? Experts suggest that while blockchain technology itself may offer robust security features, the infrastructure surrounding it — including bridges, exchanges, and DeFi platforms — has repeatedly proven vulnerable. With evolving tactics such as flash loan attacks, insider threats and state-backed cyber warfare, the future is shaping up to be grim for cryptocurrency security.


New Indian Express
11 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Crushed by Rs six crore debt, petrol pump owner attempts suicide with family in Gujarat
AHMEDABAD: In a chilling incident in Gujarat's Vadodara, a petrol pump owner crushed under a Rs six crore debt attempted to end his life along with his wife and three children by consuming poison. The news surfaced in the morning of July 22. The family, from Gorwa Area of Vadodara, survived the attempt and is currently undergoing treatment at Sayaji Hospital. Police have also launched a probe into the financial distress that pushed them to the brink. The family was rescued in time and shifted to Sayaji Hospital. Police Inspector JN Parmar from Jawahar Nagar Police Station confirmed that the man owns a petrol pump in the Nandesari area is reeling under a Rs 6 crore debt. The massive liability includes bank loans as well as money borrowed from relatives, all of which had pushed the family into severe financial turmoil.


Time of India
11 minutes ago
- Time of India
Foreign black money law: Govt files 163 prosecution complaints; raises Rs 35,105 cr tax, fine demand
The government has levied over Rs 35,105 crore in tax and penalties and filed 163 prosecution complaints under the Black Money Act by March 31, 2025. Approximately Rs 338 crore has been recovered in tax, penalties, and interest between July 1, 2015, and March 31, 2025. Assessments of 1021 have been completed under the Act. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads New Delhi: The government has raised tax and penalty demand of over Rs 35,105 crore and filed 163 prosecution complaints till March 31 under the foreign black money law , Parliament was informed on of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said under the Black Money ( Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015, the government has recovered Rs 338 crore towards tax/penalty/interest between July 1, 2015 and March 31, 2025."Till March 31, 2025, 1021 assessments have been completed under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015, raising tax and penalty demand of over Rs 35,105 crore approximately and total 163 prosecutions complaints have been filed," Chaudhary said in a written reply to Rajya tax demand gets crystallised conclusively when appeals, if any, before CIT(A), ITAT, High Court and Supreme Court are the Black Money Act, 2015, it is mandatory for assesses to disclose all foreign assets and income in specified schedules while filing I-T returns. Any non-disclosure attracts a receives information about foreign assets and income from over 100 foreign tax jurisdictions, Chaudhary added.