SC breather for CVC, Vigilance Commissioner

The Supreme Court on Monday found no fault with the appointment of Central Vigilance Commissioner KV Chowdary and Vigilance Commissioner TM Bhasin after a set of PILs alleged that the duo did not possess a clean track record. The two were appointed in June 2015.

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Mohan M Shantanagouder was satisfied that the complaints against the two officers were probed by the Selection Committee which found the allegations baseless. Refusing to replace the decision of the Committee with its own merely on basis of certain allegations, the bench dismissed the PILs and observed, "We are nowadays in the scenario that such complaints cannot be taken on face value.  Even against very honest persons, allegations can be made."

The PILs were filed by NGOs Common Cause and Center for Integrity Governance and Training in Vigilance Adminstration. It was alleged that Chowdary's investigation was found wanting in the controversial Niira Radia phone tapping case.

The bench said that earlier when complaints were filed against persons occupying important officers, it would be taken as serious aspersion on individual's integrity. But with time, the Court felt that even honest persons can be subjected to any complaint and hence the need to take it with a pinch of salt.