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VACB to be choosy in taking up cases

Thiruvananthapuram: The Vigilance Department has put the brakes on the practice of heads of departments referring cases to it without specifying reasons for recommending an investigation by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB).

The department is irked by the numerous petitions, mostly anonymous and pseudonymous, referred to it for inquiry without following the government guidelines.

The department, in a recent circular, said that it would not entertain files that did not follow the guidelines as inquiry into such cases would divert the attention of the bureau from more serious cases of corruption.

The circular reminds administrative heads that the department’s objective is to tackle corruption and misconduct by government and public servants, particularly at higher levels.

The government has empowered the department to take up investigations in six categories: offences of criminal misconduct; dishonest or intentionally improper conduct by a public servant; abuse of powers as a public servant; gross negligence or dereliction of duty; misuse of public money or property; and misappropriation of funds exceeding Rs.50,000 by government and public servants and abetment of such offences.

The guidelines do not cover investigation in other cases of defalcation of public money and properties, including funds of cooperative societies, irrespective of the amount.

Only the Police Department can deal with these cases.

Under procedures relating to investigations, department heads are required to initiate an inquiry themselves in cases of nepotism, avoidable delay in disposal of government business and violation of standing orders.

The Government Order says that secretaries of the department will record on the file why a case cannot be effectively and adequately investigated by the head of department or a senior officer and why an investigation by the Director of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau is necessary.

Sources in the Vigilance Department say the largest number of petitions that do not follow the guidelines have come from the Cooperative Department, mostly concerning irregularities in cooperative societies.

With politics ruling the roost in the cooperative sector, there is nothing surprising about the number, sources said.

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