CVC speeds up corrupts prosecution; says no to CBI meeting

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has done away with a process of holding a joint meeting with CBI and other departments to decide on cases of prosecution sanction against corrupt officials.
In a fresh set of advice aimed at reducing delay in punishing corrupt, the Commission has told ministries or departments to send cases in which it has advised sanction for prosecution for reconsideration only when new facts come to light.
"The Commission, on a review of the existing mechanism has decided to dispense with the mechanism of holding joint meetings with the representatives of CBI and the department or organisation concerned and henceforth, all such matters of difference of opinion with CBI or investigating agencies would be dealt and resolved by the Commission on the basis of available documents, material," the anti-corruption watchdog said.

Accordingly, on receipt of the investigation report from CBI and other investigating agencies, the competent authority shall within three weeks formulate its tentative views regarding the action to be taken in all matters involving difference of opinion, it said.
The Supreme Court had set three months as the deadline for grant of prosecution sanction and another one month in cases where legal opinion is required from the Attorney General.
"However, the process was getting delayed for more than four months. There many departments who have not given sanction to prosecute corrupt officials. The new system will do away the delay and speed up the process of punishing the corrupt," a CVC official said.

Further, in all cases where Commission advises sanction for prosecution, the ministry or department concerned is required to refer the case to it only in exceptional cases when new facts come to light, the CVC said.
The Commission is of the view that compliance of new procedures would facilitate in reducing delays in deciding matters or requests of sanction for prosecution by the administrative ministries, departments or organisations, it said.