Is Maharashtra Govt shying away from acting against the corrupt?


SPECIAL REPORT

* As many as 302 proposals in which officers/employees were caught accepting bribe, are waiting for prosecution sanction from respective departments
* Further, in 34 cases, departments concerned have rejected the proposal for sanction of prosecution
By Kartik Lokhande 
All the political leaders and top-ranking officers talk about eradicating corruption from public life and those in Maharashtra Government are no exception. However, sadly, when it comes to sanctioning the proposal for prosecution of officials/employees of various departments caught red-handed while accepting bribe, it appears that the Government (various departments) are shying away from acting tough.
The reluctance of the Government departments is pretty clear from the data released by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Maharashtra. As on August 16, 2014, as many as 302 proposals for prosecution sanction are pending with various departments. Interestingly, the highest -- 83 proposals -- are pending with Revenue Department, Land Records Department, and Registration Department. It is followed closely by Home Department itself, under which ACB functions. Town Planning Department, municipal corporations, Rural Development Department (Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samiti), Public Health Department, Water Resources Department are among top six departments with pendency of proposals for sanction of prosecution against the officials/employees caught while accepting bribe.
As per the official data, of a total 302 such cases, 111 are pending for more than 90 days -- that is, three months -- since the officials/employees concerned were caught accepting bribe. ACB has improved its performance tremendously this year and has nabbed many officials and employees of different departments in various parts of Maharashtra.
As per the procedure, once an official/employee is caught accepting bribe, ACB prepares a proposal seeking initiation of prosecution proceedings against him/her. For the purpose, ACB sends the proposal to the department with which the said official/employee works. Unless the department concerned sanctions the proposal for prosecution of that official/employee, further action cannot be taken against him/her.
For want of sanction from the departments concerned, ACB is left waiting for moving ahead with prosecution of officials/employees caught accepting bribe. An officer said that in many cases, departments concerned delayed sanction to prosecution proposal ‘deliberately’. “There have been instances in which delay was used as a tool to shield an official or employee caught by ACB, as unless the department concerned sanctions prosecution proposal, ACB cannot file charge-sheet against that official/employee,” said a source.
Interestingly, there are departments that have even ‘rejected’ the prosecution proposals. There are at least 33 such cases. These include 10 each pertaining to Revenue Department and Home Department; two each of Urban Development Department, Education Department, and Forest Department. Rural Development Department, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited, Water Resources Department, Co-operation Department, Regional Transport Office, Cultural Affairs Department, and Woman and Child Development Department have rejected a proposal each.

We’re following up the
proposals: ACB DG Praveen Dixit, Director General, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Maharashtra, told ‘The Hitavada’ that ACB had compiled the data regarding prosecution proposals pending with various departments and review cases sent for sanction of proposals.
“We have been following up the proposals with departments concerned and still are. Additional Chief Secretary of Home Department also has asking the departments concerned to given sanction to prosecution proposals in time. But, it is up to the departments concerned to respond,” Dixit said. According to him, the departments concerned should show earnestness in dealing sternly with the culprits and the role of ACB should be ‘peripheral’.
Asked about the rejection of prosecution proposals, Dixit pointed out that ACB treated these as review cases. “We have sent elaborate notes about evidences against the officials/employees caught accepting bribe to respective departments. These evidences themselves are so solid that they can serve as grounds for initiating prosecution proceedings,” he added.
Interestingly, in his message displayed on the website of ACB, Dixit has mentioned it clearly, “While there are adequate laws to punish the corrupt and agencies to investigate and prosecute the culprits, what is lacking is the will to come forward and fight corruption at all levels.”

Deptt-wise proposals pending
for prosecution sanction

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Department/Authority                    Proposals Pending

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Revenue/Land Records/

Registration                                              83

Home Department                                   69

Town Planning/Mpl Corpns                     34

Rural Devpt (ZP/PS)                                30

Public Health Department                       12

Water Resources Department                10

Education Department                            09

Co-operation and Textiles Deptt            07

Finance/Sales Tax Departments            07

MSEDCL/Industry, Energy,

Labour Deptt/MIDC                             06

Agriculture/Animal Husbandry

and Dairy Development Deptt             05

Regional Transport Office                   05

Food and Civil Supplies Deptt             05

Law and Judiciary/Charity

Commissioner                                      05

State Excise Department                    05

Public Works Department                  03

Medical Education & Drugs Deptt   02

MSRTC                                              01

Forest Department                            01

Tribal Development Department      01

Weights and Measurement Deptt     01

Sports Department                            01

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Total                                                  302

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(17-08-14) 

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