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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s aggressive anti-corruption campaign, the Vigilance Establishment arrested a police officer red-handed in Dehradun on Wednesday.
The officer, Sub Inspector Devendra Khugshal, who was in charge of the ISBT outpost under Patel Nagar police station, was caught while accepting a bribe of ₹1 lakh. According to the complainant, the SI had demanded a total of ₹5 lakh and threatened to apply the Gangster Act over a land dispute if the bribe wasn’t paid.
Following a secret verification, the vigilance team set up a trap and arrested Khugshal on the spot, marking yet another victory in the state’s ongoing battle against corruption.
This incident is part of a larger pattern of strict action initiated by the Dhami government over the past three years. As per official data, over 150 accused—ranging from officers and employees to mafias—have been sent to jail in various corruption cases across Uttarakhand.
Chief Minister Dhami praised the vigilance team for its swift action and reiterated his government’s firm stance: “Strict action will be taken against any officer or employee who exploits the public. Providing justice to the people is our top priority.”
Just last week, vigilance officials also arrested the Chief Treasurer and Accountant Treasury of Nainital while accepting a bribe of ₹1.2 lakh. These back-to-back arrests highlight the state government’s continued commitment to cleansing the system.
The state has adopted a “Zero Tolerance on Corruption” policy, and Chief Minister Dhami has made it clear that no leniency will be shown to corrupt individuals, regardless of their position.
Additionally, Dhami’s administration has enforced an anti-cheating law in the education sector to fight the so-called “copy mafia.” The law has led to the arrest and judicial custody of over 80 individuals involved in organised cheating gangs and brokerage systems. Thanks to this law, nearly 23,000 youths have secured government jobs transparently in the last three years, and notably, not a single complaint of cheating has surfaced since the law’s implementation.
On the same day as the SI’s arrest, Chief Minister Dhami chaired the Migration Prevention Commission review meeting at the Secretariat. He emphasized promoting reverse migration success stories to inspire others to pursue self-employment in their home regions.
Furthermore, he directed authorities to ensure the availability of medicines, surgical equipment, and other medical resources in all state hospitals, aiming to strengthen public health infrastructure alongside governance reforms.
The Dhami government’s decisive steps have made it clear that transparency, justice, and accountability are the foundation of the new Uttarakhand.
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