NOW YOU SPOT CORRUPT BABUS
ACB wants you to give info on foreign trips by govt officials this summer,
says it will help net the corrupt ones
DANISH KHAN
Do you know of any bureaucrat, police officer or any other government
official going on a foreign trip this summer? If the answer’s yes, get in
touch with the Anti-Corruption Bureau immediately.
That’s the message the ACB has sent to Mumbaikars in what it calls its
attempt to net “big fish” involved in corruption. The Bureau has already
dashed off 40,000 emails to ordinary Mumbaikars through a nongovernmental
organisation asking them to write in and assuring them that their identity
will be kept a secret.
attempt to net “big fish” involved in corruption. The Bureau has already
dashed off 40,000 emails to ordinary Mumbaikars through a nongovernmental
organisation asking them to write in and assuring them that their identity
will be kept a secret.
Examining expenditure for foreign travel undertaken by a government
official with or without his family, the ACB feels, will help it find out
just much money was spent and whether it was within the offical’s known
sources of income. In case the Bureau feels the official, generally with
family in tow, has incurred too much expenditure, it can begin discreet
inquiries, ACB officials said.
official with or without his family, the ACB feels, will help it find out
just much money was spent and whether it was within the offical’s known
sources of income. In case the Bureau feels the official, generally with
family in tow, has incurred too much expenditure, it can begin discreet
inquiries, ACB officials said.
“We have asked people to provide specific information about expenses
incurred by bureaucrats, cops and other state officials on foreign holidays
which are way beyond their means and sources of income, so that we can
investigate such cases,” Hemant Karkare, Inspector-General of Police, ACB,
said.
incurred by bureaucrats, cops and other state officials on foreign holidays
which are way beyond their means and sources of income, so that we can
investigate such cases,” Hemant Karkare, Inspector-General of Police, ACB,
said.
Officials at the NGO Karmayog, through with ACB is sending its emails,
believe this will ensure the big fish come under the scanner. The ACB
generally traps bribetakers when those forced to give bribes lodge
complaints. However, corruption at the highest level does not take place
this way.
believe this will ensure the big fish come under the scanner. The ACB
generally traps bribetakers when those forced to give bribes lodge
complaints. However, corruption at the highest level does not take place
this way.
There is more often than not a mutual understanding between giver and
taker, so information on corruption is not easy to obtain.
taker, so information on corruption is not easy to obtain.
However, data about foreign travel can give the ACB a good idea of what
an officer is up to and can thus be the proverbial needle of suspicion that
points in the right direction,” Vinay Somani of Karmayog said.
an officer is up to and can thus be the proverbial needle of suspicion that
points in the right direction,” Vinay Somani of Karmayog said.
Pravin Patil, an inspector with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), was
suspended in February this year for travelling abroad with his family on a
vacation. Investigations revealed that the trip was financed by an accused
in a securities scam that Patil was investigating.
suspended in February this year for travelling abroad with his family on a
vacation. Investigations revealed that the trip was financed by an accused
in a securities scam that Patil was investigating.
The ACB has also made it clear that unlike in bribe-trap cases, where the
complainant’s identity does not remain a secret, tip-offs on travel can be
given even without disclosing one’s identity.
complainant’s identity does not remain a secret, tip-offs on travel can be
given even without disclosing one’s identity.
EDUCATION EXPENSE
The ACB has also asked people to send in information on government officials
who are seen spending a lot of money on admissions or donations at the start
of the academic year in June. Like foreign travel, this expenditure too
would reveal a lot of things,” Somani said.
URL – www.timesofindia.com