Haryana government clips wings of Anti-Corruption Bureau

Pradeep Sharma

Chandigarh, April 5

The state government has clipped the wings of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). Now, the ACB will not be able to send investigation reports to the Haryana Lokayukta directly and will have to route them through the Vigilance Department, headed by the Chief Secretary.

New regime

The state government has reconsidered the matter and decided that in future, the investigation reports of the cases in which orders of inquiry/enquiry/investigation are being given by the Lokayuktas to the ACB would be sent to the Lokayukta through the Vigilance Department. A communication from Chief Secretary’s office

The Lokayukta had directed the ACB to inquire and investigate a number of cases under its adjudication or on which a decision had already been taken by the anti-corruption watchdog.

Taking a serious note of the existing practice, the Chief Secretary’s office said, “The information and reports of those cases are neither received by the government nor are those cases under the notice of the government.”

“The state government has reconsidered the matter and decided that in future the investigation reports of the cases, in which orders of inquiry/investigation are being given by the Lokayuktas to the ACB, the reports would be sent to the Lokayukta through the vigilance department,” a communication from the Chief Secretary’s office said.

Sources said the orders had been issued with a view to streamlining the system of sending reports to the Lokayukta. “Since a majority of the complaints are against government officials, the vigilance department must be kept in the loop regarding any inquiry report sought by the Lokayukta from the ACB against the officials,” a senior official said.

As the Lokayukta recommended action against those against whom inquiry reports were submitted by the ACB, the Chief Secretary’s office (which controlled the vigilance department) must be informed about any adverse remarks against the officials. The Chief Secretary’s office would be in a better position to take action against erring officials if the inquiry reports were sent to the Lokayukta through the vigilance department, a senior officer reasoned.