Govt releases audio recordings of Lok Pal drafting committee

The government today released audio tapes of Joint Drafting Committee meetings on Lok Pal Bill showing sharp differences and strong arguments between activists belonging to Team Anna and ministers on various provisions in the proposed anti-corruption law.

The nine tapes in CD format covering as many meetings of the drafting committee, which was constituted after activist Anna Hazare's fast in April, were provided in response to an RTI application filed by activist Subhash Agrawal.

The Joint Drafting Committee, comprising five members of Team Anna and an equal number of Cabinet ministers, was formed to finalise the draft of the Lok Pal Bill.

Earlier, responding to an RTI query, the Department of Personnel and Training had said that they require the nod of Law Ministry to make public audio recordings of the close-door meetings of the committee.

According to a conversation, the then water resources minister Salman Khurshid asked the civil society members about the prosecution powers to be given to the Lok Pal.

He asked whether sanction for prosecution will be given by the Lok Pal bench or investigating officers.

In response, former Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde tells the committee that in cases of persons like elected representatives, Prime Minister, judiciary and other such positions, Lokpal full bench will decide but investigation will be conducted by officers of Lokpal only on the lines of provisions of CrPC.

He said in criminal cases, PE is registered and if found evidence, regular case is registered and prosecution sanction is given by senior officers. "But investigation is done only by investigating officers," he said.