Delhi LG Vinai Kumar Saxena tells ACB to explain delays in graft probe
Delhi lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena NEW DELHI: Lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has sought an explanation from Delhi government’s Anti-Corruption Branch for “inordinate delays in investigation”, Raj Niwas said in a statement on Tuesday. The LG has also directed the Directorate of Vigilance (DoV) to strictly ensure due diligence while proceeding in corruption complaints.
The statement said that the LG “has taken a serious view of procedural lapses and delays by investigating agencies like ACB and DoV in the course of investigation into complaints/cases of corruption against government officials”. Saxena also expressed displeasure over the administrative departments concerned not furnishing or delaying responses sought by the agencies investigating complaints against officials.
The LG has called for an explanation by ACB officers on matters pending for more than one year.
The LG’s directions came in the wake of several cases of alleged corruption against government officials that were put before him and which “displayed serious non-application of mind and inordinate delays by the departments and agencies concerned”, the statement said. While there were many cases of investigation pending since as far back as 2012, in some others, the administrative departments hadn’t furnished their responses. In yet other cases, DoV had submitted self-contradictory recommendations for grant of sanction, the statement added.
“Earlier, ACB was not even required to seek permission to start an investigation,” an official said. “The LG was surprised to see that no action was taken on some of the complaints and has sought a complete list and all the progress made in all the cases registered by ACB.”
The LG has advised DoV to ensure that requests from ACB are submitted for his consideration only after due diligence by the administrative departments against whose official the complaint has been made, the statement said. Saxena has also instructed that comments of the administrative department should be put on record without fail and it should be ensured that the recommendations made by the various agencies are to the farthest possible extent, not in variance with each other, nor are they self-contradictory, Raj Niwas said.
The LG’s office said that Saxena has underlined that while this will ensure speedy disposal of cases on one the hand, it will, on the other, also ensure justice to the complainant as well as the respondent.
The statement said that the LG “has taken a serious view of procedural lapses and delays by investigating agencies like ACB and DoV in the course of investigation into complaints/cases of corruption against government officials”. Saxena also expressed displeasure over the administrative departments concerned not furnishing or delaying responses sought by the agencies investigating complaints against officials.
The LG has called for an explanation by ACB officers on matters pending for more than one year.
Saxena also issued instructions to DoV and all departments to carefully consider all cases and complaints referred to them for comments and examination and ensure that these were provided within a fixed time frame “after judicious application of mind”.
The LG’s directions came in the wake of several cases of alleged corruption against government officials that were put before him and which “displayed serious non-application of mind and inordinate delays by the departments and agencies concerned”, the statement said. While there were many cases of investigation pending since as far back as 2012, in some others, the administrative departments hadn’t furnished their responses. In yet other cases, DoV had submitted self-contradictory recommendations for grant of sanction, the statement added.
“Earlier, ACB was not even required to seek permission to start an investigation,” an official said. “The LG was surprised to see that no action was taken on some of the complaints and has sought a complete list and all the progress made in all the cases registered by ACB.”
The LG has advised DoV to ensure that requests from ACB are submitted for his consideration only after due diligence by the administrative departments against whose official the complaint has been made, the statement said. Saxena has also instructed that comments of the administrative department should be put on record without fail and it should be ensured that the recommendations made by the various agencies are to the farthest possible extent, not in variance with each other, nor are they self-contradictory, Raj Niwas said.
The LG’s office said that Saxena has underlined that while this will ensure speedy disposal of cases on one the hand, it will, on the other, also ensure justice to the complainant as well as the respondent.
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