Gafoor eyes better conviction rates

Hasan Gafoor has a challenge waiting for him at the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), reports Debasish Panigrahi.

Hasan Gafoor has a challenge waiting for him at the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

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The new director general of the ACB will have to arrest the agency’s dropping conviction rate.

There has been a drop in the conviction rate of the cases made out by the ACB in the past three to four years. Before 2006, 30 to 35 per cent cases against corrupt government officials resulted in conviction, but the figure dropped to 24 to 25 per cent in the subsequent years.

Gafoor, who took charge in Tuesday, hopes to correct this by making appointments to the newly sanctioned posts.

“The staff crunch was the main factor for the slow down in investigation,” Gafoor told Hindustan Times. “Now that several posts will be filled, it will ease the workload on the existing staff and increase efficiency.”

Another factor that likely to boost investigation capabilities is the sanction for the appointment of seven law officers for the state. The ACB has only one legal advisor and one law officer. “We have very good prosecutors. However, guidance during investigation will galvanise prosecution,” Gafoor said.

Gafoor also hinted at efforts to fine tune investigating skills of the officers and increase supervision of the cases at a higher level. “There will be constant analysis of every case so that the strengths and lacunae in the investigation can be measured,” said the former Mumbai police commissioner.

Factors affecting the outcome in several anti-corruption cases include witnesses losing interest [in most instances, the witnesses are the colleagues of the accused in a government office] and complainants turning hostile. Gafoor said speedy investigation and trial will help overcome this problem.

Gafoor also plans to make the agency more approachable to encourage people to come forth and complain against corrupt public servants. “We will launch several awareness campaigns soon.” Gafoor said.