CAMPAIGN AGAINST CORRUPTION

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LOK SABHA

The Lok Sabha was informed that Government have launched campaigns against corruption and have also conducted raids in various departments to detect cases. It has been the endeavour of the Government to root out corruption from public life. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducts raids from time to time to detect and weed out corruption. During last three years, the CBI had conducted five Special Drives in this regard.

The CBI has informed that it had registered 174 cases against officials working in various Government Ministries/Departments, employees of public sector undertakings and banks and private persons. During the afore-mentioned Special Drives, the CBI either seized or detected cash amounting Rs.109.70 lakhs and $2470, other investments worth Rs.800.04 lakhs, movable and immovable properties worth Rs.1506.28 lakhs and idols and antiques worth Rs.100 lakhs approximately.

The raids are conducted to unearth illegally acquired money and to check corrupt activities. Guilt of the officials found involved during raids have to be established in courts of law and following conviction of Regular Department Action dismissal or removal from the service can be ordered.

The House was told that the respective disciplinary authorities take action as per rules and regulations against the officials after the raids. Such figures are not centrally maintained.

The CBI has reported that reasons of acquittals are that due to long delays in concluding the trails complainants lost interest or are won over by the defence, independent witnesses are not able to recall properly the events during the trails and also distortion of voice/wash samples due to storage over long period of time. The Minister of State for Home and DOPT, Shri Harin Pathak gave this information during question hour.