Asif Iqbal Naik
Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 6: Want to know why people of J&K take official claims of fighting corruption with a pinch of salt? Read on:
In 1986, a case of corruption was registered by the Vigilance Organisation (under FIR No. 9/1886 VOJ) against Mohammad Aslam Qureshi, IAS, the then Custodian Jammu and Asgar Ali, then Assistant Custodian Jammu, for allegedly misusing official position by preparing fictitious records.
Ironically, since then the case has failed to make any headway and is still under investigation even as the accused have retired from the service.
In 1994, a case was registered (FIR No. 78/1994-VOJ) against Khurshid Manhas, (now retired), the then Range Officer Mendhar, for misappropriation of funds drawn on account of execution of works in forest range Surankote as well as misappropriation of timber.
The Vigilance also registrered a case in 1999 (FIR No. 16-1999-VOJ) against Dr. M.P Gupta, (now retired), the then Director Health Services Jammu, Dr. MK Batyal, (now retired), Dr. Abdul Majid, the then CMO Jammu (now retired), Sham Lal Sharma, the then SO to Director Health Services Jammu (now retired), Pawan Kumar Bakshi, the then Senior Assistant in Director Health Services Jammu, Govind Singh, the then senior Assistant to CMO Jammu, and Bharat Bushan Sharma, the then BMO Bishnah for making illegal appointments of Safaiwalas in block Bishnah.
These all cases, like the 1986 case registered against the IAS officer and his assistant, are pending in courts for nearly 15 to 20 years.
In the past five years, 387 corruption cases were registered against various government officials, but no one was prosecuted till date due to flaws in the legal system.
As per the details available with "Early Times", in 2009-10 101 cases of corruption cases were registered, in 2010-11 (111), 2011-12 (68), 2012-13 (68) and in 2013-14 (39), while the government accorded sanction to 201 cases and in 186 cases the sanction for prosecution is still awaited.
Meanwhile, the government agreed in the Assembly that corruption is a major cause of concern for it. It also stated that with to eradicate corruption, it will re-designate the State Vigilance Commission as the Transparent Commission and will strengthen and make effective the Vigilance Organization.
The government has also stated that the process was on to fill up the vacancies in State Accountability Commission and it will further increase awareness about Right to Information Act.
In order to expedite the probe into corruption cases, the government said it created seven Additional District and Session Courts which have been designated as Anti-Corruption Courts. These courts have been set up in Baramulla, Pulwama, Rajouri, Kathua, Udhampur and Doda. |
