Hyderabad: ‘A system supported by the pillars of honesty will sweep away immoral forces’ -- that was the remark made by the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) in its report. For decades, the Indian bureaucracy, which stands on four pillars of corruption, nepotism, public looting by quid-pro-quo, and the trend of perpetual secrecy, has been contributing to the deep-rooted corruption at all levels.
Although the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) was formed in 1964 to monitor the cheats and the corrupt in the administrative hierarchy, its existence has become nominal like a paper tiger. The CVC has recently directed the secretaries of all departments of the central government, chief executives of public sector banks and insurance companies to complete their probe into the long-pending corruption cases by next May. The fact is that the bigwigs of the administration who are adept in protecting their near and dears know well how to scuttle these 'orders'!
The system has become so immune to corruption that at every stage of the transition of papers 'wetting of hands' has become essential. The higher echelons of administration know it very well but play blind and even support the corrupt officials. The CVC made it clear that the undue delay in the investigation would encourage the corrupt employee to be more audacious and that it would cause immense agony to the honest person caught in the vigilance case for whatever reason.
Though there are clear guidelines on how to complete enquiry at various stages of vigilance cases, no one cares about them. The cases between 2011 and 2018 are still pending without any movement! According to the CVC, corruption cases are piling up as the court has given a 'stay', or the case is pending in the court, the accused has been terminated for being guilty in another case, or there has been no information from the respective states as a disciplinary authority regarding irregularities committed by the accused employee while on central government duties.
Referring to the Supreme Court ruling in 2018 that the time limit for any 'stay' by the courts cannot exceed six months in vigilance cases of corruption, the CVC wants to settle them quickly, but it is falling to deaf ears. Thanks to the top hierarchy that is so assiduously trying all the time to keep up the repute of India as most corrupt in Asia!
Vigilance failure in controlling cheating
The resolve of Modi that "I will not eat (corruption money) and I will not let others eat" and trying his level best in eliminating corruption and inefficiency in bureaucracy is only one side of the coin. The fact that the Union Ministries and Departments are protecting the corrupt officials and saving them from any action is a stark reality of the other side!
In 2018, while the respective ministries rejected the CVC recommendations in 44 cases, the Railways is topping the list with 19 cases, according to a report by the Vigilance Commission. The CBI, which investigated the corruption in railway tenders on the recommendation of the CVC, filed a case in March 2013 against three private companies and 11 railway officials and recommended appropriate action against a key player.
When the CVC suggested imposing a hefty fine on a corrupt official in 2018, the Ministry of Railways ruled that he was not at fault. Although the CVC investigation found that corruption in the nuclear power department had caused a loss of Rs 46 crore to the Uranium Corporation, the department decided that a simple warning to the authorities was sufficient.
In the case of Rs 48.53 crore loan default to the then State Bank of Hyderabad, though the bank complained to CBI, it did not give the necessary permission to investigate the accused! Can there be a better fertile system than India to grow such a weed of corruption? The country's progress is being hampered by an environment in which the wings of vigilance agencies are clipped, they are tied with the shackles, allowing the whims of corrupt criminals to be unleashed!
The CVC is required to submit an annual report to Parliament, including the response of government departments to the intelligence agency's recommendations. The report, submitted three months ago, found that in 2019, its recommendations were not respected in 54 cases. The CVC lamented that this trend was undermining the impartiality of the intelligence apparatus.
About 678 corruption cases are under investigation, of which 25 are over five years and 86 are over three years old, according to the CVC, which proves the ineffectiveness of our vigilance departments. The CVC confirmed that the number of pending corruption cases under investigation was 6226, of which the cases pending over 20 years is 182 and 1599 cases over ten years!
All pervasive corruption is the glaring reality and grant of permissions for investigation is doubtful. In a system where award and execution of punishments are elusive, the role of intelligence agencies has become nominal. Unless they are strengthened and held accountable directly to Parliament for their omissions and commissions, the eradication of corruption is like swimming across a river with the help of a dog’s-tail!
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