Govt offers cash rewards for reporting corrupt babus …..RAVIKIRAN DESHMUKH
The state Home Department has announced cash rewards for people who provide crucial information on disproportionate assets and properties possessed by corrupt officers, semi-government officers and public servants. The decision, a brainchild of Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil, has been taken for the first time in the state.
Currently, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) lays traps to nab corrupt officials while accepting bribes, conducts confidential inquiries on properties owned by officials and confiscates properties. However, the department has been unable to get any confidential information. Now, as per the decision, an informer who provides crucial information on disproportionate assets of an official, will get a cash reward after the charge sheet is filed in court. Confidentiality will be maintained, says the government.
As per the decision, information related to properties worth Rs 25 lakh will fetch the informer a Rs 10,000 reward. Informers will be rewarded Rs 25,000 if the information helps ACB unearth properties worth between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 50 lakh. Similarly, Rs 50,000 will be given for information on properties worth Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore; Rs 1 lakh reward for properties worth Rs 1 crore to 5 crore, and Rs 2 lakh for properties worth over Rs 5 crore.
Sanjay Parande, additional superintendent of police in ACB (HQ), said that the move was the initiative of R R Patil.
“My next campaign will be against corruption. Unfortunately, people, instead of coming forward to report corruption, have been choosing to pay bribes to get their work done. As a result, the system is getting corrupt and losing trustworthiness. We will reward those who provide crucial information,” Patil said.