Govt to hire retired officers to probe corruption complaints

Mentally and physically-sound retired Central and state governments employees will be engaged by the Centre for conducting departmental inquiries against delinquent officials, a move aimed at checking delay in finalising such proceedings and pendency.
Such employees, if engaged will be provided a honorarium ranging between Rs 20,000 to Rs 75,000, per case, in addition to transport allowance of Rs 40,000 and Rs 30,000 per case if no secretarial assistance is provided by the department concerned.
"Willingness of the retired officer to serve as the Inquiry Officer (IO) for conducting departmental inquiry will be called for by inviting applications," as per a draft policy formed by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

A three-member committee would be constituted by the respective cadre controlling authority for empanelment of retired officers, it said.
Panels of retired officers not below the rank of Deputy Secretary in Central government and equivalent officer in the state governments or PSUs to be appointed as the Inquiry Officer for the purpose of conducting departmental inquiries would be maintained level or rank-wise and place-specific where offices are located by each cadre controlling authority.
"The panel of the retired officers created for the purpose of appointing Inquiry officers for conducting departmental inquiry will be valid for a period of three years," the DoPT said.

The retired officers willing to serve as the Inquiry officer should not be more than 70 years of age as on the April 1, of the year of his or her empanelment. They should be in sound health--both physically and mentally and "should not be an accused officer in any pending inquiry", as per the eligibility criteria.