‘CBI sent letter to State Govt on corruption by bureaucrats’
SHILLONG: The CSWO has claimed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has written to the State Government to investigate into the alleged misuse of Central schemes by some state bureaucrats.
CSWO President Agnes Kharshiing, who recently visited the CBI headquarters in Delhi in connection with some corruption cases, met DGP PJP Hanaman on Monday and urged him to make public the names of those involved in corruption cases.
In a statement issued here on Monday, Kharshiing said that the CSWO has received information that there were some bureaucrats who have been depositing huge sums of money in certain banks and it has come to the notice of the CBI through its Financial Investigation Unit.
According to Kharshiing, the CSWO visited the CBI Headquarters in New Delhi and confirmed that letters have been sent to the State DGP and the Chief Secretary, requesting investigation into the several corruption cases against certain bureaucrats and politicians for alleged misuse of various Central schemes in the State.
When contacted the DGP said that he was not aware of any CBI letter being sent to the State government in this regard.
“The letter could have been sent during the tenure of the former DGPs. I will have a look into it and will get back to the complainant in this regard,” Hanaman said.
Several organizations had expressed concern over the rise in corruption in the State and the inaction of Police on the various scams reported in the State. The CSWO said it was shocked that no action has been taken so far by the two highest echelons of the State, the office of the Chief Secretary and that of the DGP in spite of being alerted of the malpractice.
“We are definite that you will agree that the laws are equal for everyone and you may also be aware that police should take cognizance of crimes reported under the Prevention of Corruption Act and corruption is indeed a crime”, the CSWO said in the memorandum to the DGP.
The memorandum further stated, “Under section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, a public servant can be booked for criminal misconduct if he/she is habitually corrupting and the public knows it is your bounded duty to seek permission to investigate, especially when your office is informed of such crimes. It is also your duty to inform the Government if the Chief Secretary is not responding to such complaints.”
The CSWO has urged the DGP to make public the whereabouts of the letters and the names of the IAS officers and other public servants whose names have been mentioned in the CBI letter. It has also sought information on the action, if any, that has been taken so far in this regard.