Nod to probe 40 cases against babus

A new regulation framed by the government, setting a three-month deadline for departments to give a nod for anti-corruption probes against officials, seems to be working.

A new regulation framed by the government, setting a three-month deadline for departments to give a nod for anti-corruption probes against officials, seems to be working.

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Chief secretary JK Banthia, who heads the committee that takes monthly reviews on such cases, said that departments have got cracking after the directive.

“In a meeting on Tuesday, we saw that 40 cases were given a go-ahead. Secretaries of different departments and even the Mumbai municipal commissioner were present and had given permission to proceed with probes against officials,” Banthia said on Wednesday.

Banthia added that in the last eight months, over 200 cases have been disposed of, contrary to what happened in the last decade where decisions on graft cases were delayed indefinitely.

The new rules that have been enforced ensure that the government decides on all corruption probes against officials within three months from the time the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) seeks permission for a probe.

“The timeline has been set not only for department heads, but also for the ACB officials to begin their investigation,” he said. In case there is a delay, they would need to give a written explanation justifying it. If the reasons given are not satisfactory, then administrative action would be initiated against them, he added.