*Brazen attempt to shield corrupt officials
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 17: Notwith-standing continuous rise in complaints of corruption, numerous departments are creating impediments in the way of taking FIRs and verifications to the logical conclusion by not furnishing requisite record to the State Vigilance Organization (SVO). Astonis-hingly, the communiqués highlighting non-cooperation addressed to the top brass of these departments have also failed to yield positive results.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that scrutiny of official record is imperative in taking several cases of fraud, embezzlement and misuse of powers to logical conclusion but there is a general tendency in several Government departments and corporations about not furnishing requisite record to the State Vigilance Organization, the premier investigating agency of the State entrusted with the task of punishing the corrupt elements in the administration.
“The non-cooperation in furnishing official record is not only leading to delay in the investigation of the cases but also amounts to shielding the corrupt officers and officials”, sources said, adding “the astonishing fact is that the non-cooperation was brought to the notice of heads of the concerned departments a number of times during the past several years but still the situation remains unchanged”.
All this clearly indicates that erring officers and officials are dearer to those at the helm of affairs in these departments and transparency is their least priority otherwise there was no justification behind denying record to the Vigilance Organization.
According to the official information, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR, requisite record is awaited from various departments in 8 FIRs during the past several years. Similarly, there is still non-cooperation from various departments in 26 Joint Surprise Checks and verifications despite lapse of considerable period of time.
Quoting some instances, sources said that in FIR Nos.1/2015 and 27/2015 registered by Vigilance Organiz-ation Kashmir statement of accounts was sought from Kunzer and Sopore Branches of Jammu and Kashmir Bank but the same is still awaited despite lapse of more than two years.
Similarly in Joint Surprise Check No.11/2009, Verification No.40/2009 and Verification No.34/2016 the J&K Bank Branch Polo View Srinagar and Corporate Office M A Road Srinagar were approached for furnishing of records but non-cooperation still persists.
In Verification No.18/2016, the Vigilance Organization Kashmir (VOK) had sought M-books and works registers from R&B Division Kupwara while as in Verification No.4/2014 the VOK had asked the Education Department to furnish record pertaining to scholarship of Pahari speaking students in Education Zone Boniyar for the year 2010-2011 but non-cooperation is still prevailing.
Similarly, in Verification No.UD/01/2015 the Vigilance Organization had written to Commissioner/Secretary to Government, Housing and Urban Development Depart-ment for furnishing some vital records but no heed has been paid to the request till date thereby creating obstacles in completion of verification.
“There are numerous cases wherein requests for furnishing records were made directly to the Head of the Departments but still the non-cooperation persists”, sources said, adding “if such is the response of the senior officers what could be the level of non-cooperation of lower rung officials can be easily gauged”.
Verification No.40 of 2016 pertaining to SRTC, Verific-ation No.5/2016 regarding Executive Engineer PMGSY Baramulla, Verification No.7/ 2014 about Directorate of Agriculture Kashmir, Verific-ation No.13/ 2015 of Directorate of Youth Services and Sports, Verification No.58/ 2015 pertaining to J&K Cooperative Housing Society and Verification No.10/2015 of Housing Board are among those where record is awaited despite lapse of considerable period of time.
“What to talk of other departments, there is also lack of coordination between different wings of Police Department also”, sources said while disclosing that in Verification No.19/2014 the record is also awaited from one of the important wing of the Police Department, which is also entrusted with the vital task of hanging important cases of crime.
They further said, “it is a matter of serious concern that on one side there is sharp rise in number of complaints against the Government officers and officials and on the other side furnishing of record to the SVO is being delayed”, adding “this clearly establishes that pro-corrupt officers mechanism is more strong that anti-corruption mechanism”.
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