CVC calls for safe custody of documents to prevent inquiry delay

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has asked government authorities to ensure safe custody of documents required during graft proceedings to prevent delay in timely completion of corruption cases.

The order was issued to secretaries of all central government departments, chief executives of public sector banks, and insurance companies.

It has been noticed that many a time, the inquiry proceedings are held up due to non-availability of required documents or delay in making available the listed documents for inspection by the charged officer and/or for taking on record by the inquiry officer, the Commission said.

Such delay in providing of documents not only slows down the inquiry proceedings but may also sometime result in exoneration of the charged officer, despite being guilty of misconduct, it said.

The Commission thus directed that in order to ensure timely progress of inquiry proceedings, the authorities must ensure safe custody of the documents during inquiry against any charged officer.

It also asked the authorities to ensure that they provide documents to the present to officers immediately after their appointment, and called for strict compliance of the order.

The Commission had last month also asked the organisations to seek a monthly progress report from the officers, regarding the departmental inquiries being conducted by them.