History of the HP SV & ACB

Background: 

Vigilance Department was created in Himachal Pradesh (the then Union Territory) in the year 1965. At that time, the jurisdiction of the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) extended to the whole of Union Territory of HP and procedures laid down in the CVC Vigilance Manual were followed in dealing with disciplinary cases against government servants.

Consequent upon the attainment 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 vide notification of Department of Personal, (Vigilance) w.e.f. 27.12.1971.

Establishment of Directorate of Enforcement and subsequent supervision:

In order to deal with economic offences, and to prevent and detect leakage of revenue in Forest, Industries, Excise & Taxation, Transport, Civil Supplies and Cooperative Departments, Directorate of Enforcement was created in the state on 27.3.1981.

It was headed by Director of Enforcement and it had two Zones i.e. North & South with Zonal Hdqrs at Dharamshala and Shimla, headed by Deputy Directors. Besides police officers, it had officers from different departments on deputation.

In the year 1983, I.G. Police (Enforcement & Vigilance) was appointed in November 1983, the posts of Director of Enforcement and other police officers were re-designated as DIG Police (Enf), SP (Enf) etc. The I.G. Police was additionally entrusted with the work of control & supervision of Anti-Corruption Unit, and for all practical purposes, the Directorate of Enforcement, though created as an independent Department, was made a wing of the Vigilance Department of the Govt.

Emergence of State Vigilance & Anti-Corruption Bureau:

In November, 2006, the erstwhile Anti-Corruption Unit and Enforcement Department were merged into one department and a new department namely “The State Vigilance & Anti-Corruption (SV&ACB)” came into existence, headed by the officer of the rank of Director General of Police/ Additional Director General of Police, with its headquarters at Shimla.

The Bureau 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 13 Police Stations in each District Head quarter, being headed by officer of the rank of Additional/Dy. Superintendent of Police.