No confirmed case of whistleblowers' harassment in past 3 yrs: Govt

The Central Vigilance Commission has not come across during the last three years any confirmed incident of victimisation, harassment or life threat to whistleblowers exposing corruption in government departments, Union minister Jitendra Singh said today.
The CVC, from time to time, receives complaints or representations alleging harassment and life threat for making disclosure under Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informers (PIDPI) resolutions, also known as whistleblower resolution, regarding irregularities in various ministries.
"However, the CVC as designated agency under PIDPI resolution, 2004 has not come across any confirmed incident of victimisation, harassment or life threat to the complainant during the last three years," Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

Complaints regarding harassment are sent by the CVC to organisation concerned with an advice to give protection to the complainant and regarding life threat the matter is referred to the agency nominated by the Home Ministry with an advice to give protection, he said.
The CVC in February had also furnished a list of complaints to the Supreme Court alleging harassment, the minister said.
Under PIDPI resolution, the Chief Vigilance Officers (CVOs), who act as distant arm of the CVC in the ministries, have been authorised as the designated authority to receive written complaint or disclosure on any allegation of corruption or misuse of office.

The CVOs can then take up the matter of providing security to such persons with the CVC.

"Wherever the complainant has alleged victimisation or harassment, the designated authority should ensure that if the identity of the complainant somehow becomes known, he or she should not be harassed or victimised by way of frequent transfers etc," Singh said.
In case a complainant seeks protection and reports that his life is in danger, the designated authority would examine the same and send his recommendation to the CVC to take up the matter with the nodal officers of respective states or Union Territories appointed by the Home Ministry or state governments for the purpose of providing security cover to the whistleblowers, Singh said.

The Whistleblowers Protection (Amendment) Bill 2015 aimed at ensuring safety of those exposing corruption is pending in Parliament.