Govt: Can’t act against CVC in graft cases, no guideline for it

NEW DELHI: The government cannot act on two complaints, received by it over a year ago, against Chief Vigilance Commissioner K V Chowdary as there is no guideline to handle such grievances, according to the personnel ministry.

It said a process to frame such guidelines has been initiated by the government.

The assertion assumes significance as the PM Narendra Modi-led panel had on January 10 removed CBI director Alok Verma from the post considering a probe report by the Central Vigilance Commission among other facts.

“...Presently no guidelines to handle complaints of corruption and other misconduct ag-ainst Chief Vigilance Commissioner/Vigilance Commissioners are in place,” the personnel ministry said in response to an RTI query filed by whistle-blower Indian Forest Service officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi.

Chaturvedi had in 2017 written to the President asking him to take action against Chowdary for recommending closure of probe in alleged corruption cases at AIIMS.

“It is informed that this department (Personnel Ministry) has two grievances dated July 15, 2017 and August 18, 2017 received by you (Chaturvedi),” the reply said, adding “suitable action can be taken on the grievances” against CVC once such guidelines are in existence.

Chaturvedi had sought copies of correspondences from the personnel ministry related to a plea filed by him in 2017 with the President’s secretariat. The plea was forwarded by the president’s office to the personnel ministry.

Chaturvedi had alleged that the CVC closed cases of corruption involving senior functionaries in Delhi’s AIIMS. Chaturvedi, who has sought probe against Chowdary, had sent documents, running into almost 1,000 pages, in support of his claim to the office of the president.