Govt likely to take up foreign bribery Bill tomorrow

Government is tomorrow likely to consider changes in a proposed legislation aimed at criminalising bribery by foreign public officials which provides for imprisonment of upto seven years among others.
The Union Cabinet is expected to take up additional official amendments to the 'The Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of Public International Organisations Bill, 2011', and pave the way for its re-introduction in Parliament and subsequent passage, sources said.
Foreign bribery is not covered under any domestic anti-corruption laws at present.
As per the proposed Bill, the government can attach, seize and confiscate property of offenders. Besides it has provision to extradite an accused official.

The Bill, which has provision to punish both bribe taker and giver, also empowers the government to enter into agreements with other countries or contracting states for enforcing this law and for exchange of investigative information.
The Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on March 25, 2011 and referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee in April the same year.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice gave its report on March 29 last year.
The legislation, if passed by Parliament, will be a stand alone law to deal with bribery by foreign public officials.
The Committee in its report recommended redefinition of 'undue advantage', which explains what an act of bribery may comprise, to make the law more effective.