The Hindu : Special grant to improve ACB functioning

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 30, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad

Special grant to improve ACB functioning

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD April 29. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has been allocated Rs. 1.30 crores special budget in the current financial year for improving the communication network and better mobility.

Disclosing this at a press conference here on Monday, the ACB Director General, A.K. Mohanty, said it was decided to refund all the `trap amounts' (the bribe amounts received by accused officials) given by the complainants (which stood at Rs. 8 lakhs nearly) within a short time. Presently, the trap amount given by a complainant in a corruption case was being returned by the ACB only at the end of the conviction.

As a result, it was perceived that, the complainants were not coming forward to lodge complaints and bear the expenditure of the trap amount. Out of the Rs. 8 lakhs pending trap amounts, efforts were on to release Rs. 3.65 lakhs immediately. From May onwards, the amount given by the complainants would be reimbursed within two months, the Director General said.

Stating that his ultimate goal was to ensure the `impact of drive against corruption was felt and not just read', Mr. Mohanty said that, hereafter, focus would be on trap and disproportionate assets cases. With better monitoring and supervising system, the Bureau was making efforts to reach the people in the rural area to book the corrupt officials. "Common man's inconvenience is a cause of concern to us and we are thinking about sensitising general public about ACB's role in prevention of corruption'', he remarked. This includes enlightening people about `where to lodge a complaint about corrupt Government employees and how'.

Mr. Mohanty said that the ACB office, located near Mozamjahi Market, would be shifted soon to a new building to be constructed at Banjara Hills. The offices of the ACB Hyderabad city unit and Hyderabad range would be shifted to a new building, Manoranjan complex near Exhibition Grounds in a couple of months. Once the new building at Banjara Hills is completed, an exclusive training centre would be set up to conduct refresher courses for all ranks of officials in the Bureau.

As against the 641 cases booked in the year 2001, the Bureau had registered 160 cases in 2002 so far. A total of 929 persons were involved in the 641 cases of 2001. Out of these 929, 415 were gazetted officers, 346 non-gazetted officers and 116 others. In the 160 cases of 2002, as many as 290 persons were involved. Of these 81 were gazetted officers, 81 NGOs and 41 others.

The Director General said that the conviction rate had gone up from 50 per cent in 2001 to 70 per cent in 2002. A total of 746 cases are under investigation, 638 cases are pending trial in courts, 110 pending trial in Tribunal for disciplinary proceedings, 65 before the Commissionerate of Inquiries and 999 before the heads of various departments for action.

He said that the Bureau was not averse to use video recording and other latest technologies in trapping the erring officials, but would take a decision in the near future.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Special grant to improve ACB functioning

People's estimate for desilting works

Deccan Park getting ready for inauguration

Minor fire mishap at Secretariat

SSC results on AirTel