Here is an amusing organization of the Government whose history of corruption and embezzlement is stretched over to two decades. It is JAKFED, which, at one time, was initiated with great fanfare and publicity blitz. In the sessions of Legislative Assembly, several members raised the question of large-scale embezzlement of funds from 1987 to 2000, a period of thirteen years. More interesting is the fact that there was not only the theft of public money in broad daylight but also the culprits destroyed the records systematically so that nothing remains on paper to prove their guilt. The Legislative Council House Committee (LCHC) now conducting enquiry into the case is faced with the problem of non-availability of record to establish or dismiss cases against the alleged functionaries of the organization. It is amusing that the LCHC is asking for the details of senior officers who had remained in charge of the organization during the period under consideration. In particular they are Managing Directors, General Managers, Managers and other senior staff members. Previously Pillai Committee report had said that major records of the functioning of this organization during the period in question had been destroyed and it was difficult to fix responsibility.
The question is that crores of rupees are reportedly embezzled in JAKFED. The record has been destroyed. Senior officers have either retired or are transferred and no records that would throw light on the embezzlement of public money are available. What then is to be done in the case? Should the Government sleep over it and relegate the case to oblivion? This seems a bizarre case of corruption. The LCHC has decided to meet again. Will a list of senior officers of JAKFED be available at all? Nobody can answer these questions.
We would suggest that the case should be referred to the Vigilance Commission for full investigation and necessary action. The LCHC has no powers to summon the concerned persons and ask them to depose before it. That task can be undertaken by the CVC. If this case is let off the hook, it will create very bad precedence. The culprits have made the embezzlements under an impression that after destroying the record they can escape scot-free. This should not happen and the miscreants should be brought to book.
Follow our WhatsApp channel