Decide corruption cases in time involving retiring bank, govt officials: CVC

Probity watchdog CVC has asked all banks and central government departments to ensure expeditious finalisation of disciplinary proceedings against officials involved in alleged corruption cases who are due to retire shortly.

The move comes after it was noticed that some cases of alleged corruption do not get disposed even until the retirement of an accused public servant.

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has been writing to the government departments since 2007, most recently in July 2019, on the issue to ensure that the accused officers are brought to justice in time.

The CVC had specifically impressed upon the vigilance functionaries as well as administrative authorities concerned the need to prioritise their activities of conducting investigations and completion of disciplinary action well in advance so as to avoid late reference to the Commission, it said in a recent directive.

"Further, it was also conveyed that all such retirement cases should be received by the first week of the month of superannuation of the officer(s) concerned," said the directive, issued to secretaries of central government departments and the chairman and managing directors of public sector banks, undertakings and autonomous organisations.

It said the cases or references received for advice after the first week of the month would be returned to the department without advice of the Commission and "action recommended against the concerned authority(ies)".

"The Commission while reiterating its earlier instructions would emphasise that all such retirement cases for advice should be received in the Commission by 10th of every month by 5 PM. Further, if 10th is a holiday, by the next working days," reads the directive seeking its "strict compliance".