Bureaucrats question if sanction was taken before filing case

Chandigarh, January 5

Panic has gripped the state bureaucracy after 2008-batch IAS officer Neelima was booked by the Vigilance Bureau today. Though the officer has not been arrested, the resentment against the action was palpable after the FIR was registered.

Many officers have questioned the registration of the FIR against the officer and questioned whether necessary permission under Section 17-A of Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act was taken. The section states, “… No police officer shall conduct any enquiry or inquiry or investigation into any offence alleged to have been committed by a public servant under this Act, where the alleged offence is relatable to any recommendation made or decision taken by such public servant in discharge of his official functions or duties, without the previous approval…”

Top officials in the Vigilance Bureau, when asked if the permission under Section 17-A was taken before the officer was booked, said it was not required, as the case related to tampering of official files. Interestingly, the Vigilance Bureau had been seeking documents related to the PSIEC land transfer case, but there was some delay in handing over the documents to the Bureau. The VB chief had then reportedly then raised the issue with the Chief Secretary, who had “advised” the department to hand over the files to the investigating agency.

It may be mentioned that she is the second officer to be booked by the Vigilance Bureau after the Aam Aadmi Party government came to power. Earlier, Sanjay Popli was booked and later arrested by Vigilance Bureau. Two other IAS officers are under the Enforcement Directorate radar. While ED sleuths had raided the residence of IAS officer Varun Roojam in the alleged Excise scam, another senior IAS officer KAP Sinha, too, has been questioned by the ED in the case.