PDP leader, IAS officer major beneficiaries

Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Sept 24: Anti-corruption drive of the State Government has taken a back seat with the ongoing two and half month long unrest in the Kashmir valley as certain “vested interests’’ within the Government and the administration were “openly conniving’’ to shield the corrupt including ruling PDP leader and bureaucrats in much publicized scams.
Highly placed sources told the Excelsior that recent actions by some Ministers and bureaucrats of the State Government were clear indication that the PDP-BJP coalition Government has started overt and covert drive to shield the corrupt including those affiliated with the ruling dispensation.
They said a retired bureaucrat, who is presently senior leader of the ruling, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and have cases and complaints registered against him pertaining to land scams and other corrupt activities, has got major reprieve from the Government with appointment of his own son as Deputy Advocate General, Incharge Vigilance Organization.
“Now look, what would happen to the cases against a person, when his own son will handle them in his capacity as Deputy Advocate General’’? sources asked and indicated that this was done with “clear intentions’’ by the Government to save the PDP leader, who was facing multiple cases and complaints in the Vigilance Organization.
Pointing out that the Deputy Advocate General could have been given other departments except the Vigilance Organization, sources said the Government order has come as major setback for the SVO as it would “directly impact’’ the cases and complaints against PDP leader.
“On one hand, the Government is making big announcements against corrupt politicians and bureaucrats while, on the other, its decisions were aimed at diluting the cases and complaints of corruption registered with the Vigilance Organisation. This was nothing but double standards of the Government,’’ sources said.
The PDP leader, who had contested last Assembly election and secured sizeable number of votes, was facing cases in the Vigilance Organization in land scam running into crores, besides complaints of corruption, which were under investigation against him.
In another setback to the Vigilance efforts to challan cases in the court of law in much publicized Roshni land scam, the Government has denied sanction for prosecution of a senior IAS officer while giving similar sanctions in case of serving and retired junior officials.
“The State Government has claimed that it has sent the case to Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Government of India for prosecution sanction but the DoPT is reported to have communicated that they haven’t received any such case from the State Government,’’ sources said, adding there seems to be “intentional delay’’ or ‘sabotage’’ on part of some bureaucrats in obtaining prosecution sanction of the case from the DoPT as the Department is quick to grant sanctions, based on the merit.
Asserting that investigations in Roshni land scam involving top IAS officer of Jammu and Kashmir cadre were complete, sources said the Vigilance Organization was unable to produce challan in the court of law due to absence of prosecution sanction against the IAS officer.
Sources said the Vigilance Organization has been told in official communications that the Government has sent the case of the IAS officer for obtaining prosecution sanction to the DoPT. However, the DoPT has reportedly informed the anti-corruption body that it hasn’t received any such case from the State Government.
“This clearly indicates that the Government, or a section of the administration, was bent upon ‘sabotaging’ the case by delaying prosecution sanction,’’ sources said, adding that in the absence of sanction, the challan of the case would be delayed giving benefit to the officer.
The Government has given prosecution sanction in Roshni land scam only in favour of junior and retired officers, they said.

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