The service records of Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) Vinod Rai “are not traceable”, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has revealed in response to an RTI application.
Lucknow-based activist Arvind Shukla had in July 2012 filed the Right to Information application seeking details about the most powerful accountant of the country, who has gained renown as a vigilant anti-corruption watchdog and who was once again in the spotlight after the CAG reports on coal block allocation, ower and the GMR-run Delhi airport were tabled in Parliament on August 17, 2012.
The 64-year-old Kerala cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) official’s service records/dossier have gone missing from the DoPT, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Mr. Shukla was told.
In his July 11, 2012 application, he had sought to know details about Mr. Rai such as his Class 10 passing certificate, date of birth, certificate of selection to the civil services, appointment letter, selection into the Kerala IAS cadre and his retirement date.
In a signed response to the RTI (No.13011/20/2012-AIS.I), the DoPT’s CPIO (Central Public Information Officer) Narendra Gautam informed Mr. Shukla that the office has been “informed by the concerned section of the UPSC application dossier of Shri Vinod Rai, IAS (KL:1972) is not traceable”.
The reply further stated that “the information sought for by you is not materially available with the undersigned”.
The DoPT also suggested that Mr. Shukla could follow up his request with the Kerala government as the matter was “more closely concerned to the Government of Kerala”.
Adding again that the department “does not have any record in this regard”, Mr. Gautam, an Under Secretary, also stated that the matter was subsequently being also referred to CPIO, Office of the CAG, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi, “to provide requested information”.
Mr. Shukla, through an earlier RTI, had found that former Uttar Pradesh cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh’s service records — both as a trained pilot and as a government employee — were never found.
“As part of inquisitiveness I wanted to know about the CAG as his findings have created a storm in the country and have exposed the UPA government,” Mr. Shukla told IANS.
Sources in the DoPT say Mr. Rai’s service records and dossier were last seen in 2005 and have been missing since.
Said a senior official on condition of anonymity: “Under all circumstances, such a dossier is always put as record with the DoPT, and the fact that it is not traceable is just amazing.”
India’s official auditor, headed by Mr. Rai, had last week revealed that the lack of transparency in the allocation of coal blocks to private players resulted in a loss of a whopping Rs. 1.85 lakh crore ($37 billion) to the exchequer as on March 11, 2011. The report prompted the opposition to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Keywords: CAG, Comptroller and Auditor-General, Vinod Rai service records, Department of Personnel and Training, RTI application
YOU Did the right job for the benefit of the 1 billion people less the politicians.
Why His record is missing?? What kind of tactics congress is playing?? Please realize people of India...
people like rai are the true assests of country.they can do any thing to break his moral.we must cheer him up .
The Govt.is making mockery of not only justice system, but is trying to rub on the wrong side of genuine Senior Officers. In this age of computer-systems, just as the Birth and Death Records, the Service Registers of all Employees, irrespective of the Cadre, should be totally computerised and a copy once in 3 or 4 years should be signed by the Head of the Department and given to the staff members. Then, the Govt.can do nothing like these atrocities.
Alas Alas Mr Rai.You did a splendid job.Need so much of courage & determination.Hats off to you & your team.I know you will be definitely in tremendous pressure from the Govt.As a youngster I will applaud your service for the nation...
As per the RTI Act the applicant should receive a complete reply from CPIO. The nature of reply Not traceable,under process,don't know are all evasive reply and CPIO can be punished under the act by complying the matter to CIC. This is another!
Indian politicians and government officers are always interested in historical accounting. They want the same thing to be done by CAG. It is not historical accounting but cost accounting that should be the guideline and in all probability CAG under Mr. Vinod Rai's leadership has exactly done that. Mere historical accounting does not help properly in decision making such as in public welfare and works of governments. The way policy matter is government's prerogative, cost accounting is CAG's prerogative. Congress must understand that government's policy can be audited the way CAG audits right now. The Govt. is accountable to the public, inter alia, through the CAG's reports. The policy of Cong and MMS government to provide subsidy to corporates is exposed by CAG reports.
In case congress stoops to the level of denying the retirement benefits to the honest,fearless Mr.Vinod Rai, we the people will come to his rescue by donating our salary to Mr.Vinod Rai.
We need people like him. Shri Vinod Rai has shown what an honest and efficient civil servant can deliver for this country. I believe he must be under tremendous pressure from congress but his incorrigible spirit has provided a vignette for future generations to come. Jai Hind
I have been writing to The Hindu saying the same thing that this government would either dig out the past of this gentleman Vinod Rai to find out any skeletons (like they have already done for Ram Dev or Kiran Bedi or Bhushan or Anna) in the cup board or make his life miserable by denying him the post-retirement benefits like pension or gratuity, saying service records not available. UPA techniques to bully moral opponents are all too evident and have become predictable. I only wish that the national media and intelligentia of our great country could project the bullying tactics the Congress what I, as a common man in the street, was able to foresee.
Vinod Rai's retirement benefits are in jeopardy because he has rubbed the Congress wrong way.
It is not surprising that the Congress party will
stoop to any level to save the day. This is one classic example.
Otherwise, what relevance such an RTI Application has now? All are
thieves.
India is now ruled by thieves during alternative terms of
governments. When one upright Officer points out the wrongdoings,
he will be targeted and these political rascals will not even
hesitate to do away with such upright Officials for their survival.
All Indians should be aware of such political gimmicks by ruling and
opposition parties and throw them out of power at least during the
next elections.
Exactly, Siva Subramani.
Because he put the Govt in hot water, as usual his files will be
missing, his date of birth for retirement might be questioned..and so
on..regardless the public is fully aware of all vendetta politics played
by this UPA against honest officers, so if his file is missing..itis
your responsibility to find it...in order to ascertain his identity..i
hope you are not having a identity and service working the IAS..do
you..will there be question in the parliament...
Siva,
Very appropriate statement. There is already an army of spokespersons,
the government has employed to disgrace this man. The person is an ideal
for young civil servants and role model for the aspirants.
He is at present the only beacon of light in the darkness called India.
Please leave him and his team alone. He is just doing his duty honestly.
This type things is not new one. Who speak against corruption, some ill mentality people try to malign image of particular person. Now who is responsible for this ?
Confusion !! Confusion !! Confusion !!
Please don't malign this man. Already Congress leaders are looking ways to clip the wings of CAG. As much as I would like to know the truth about the civil officers, such a careless headlines/titles would create unnecessary rumours. Please be warned, if this continues, we will talking more about Vinod Rai and his class 10 certificate rather than what his team (CAG) has achieved so far.
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