Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said the democratic setup in the State is so strong that no force can intervene in the investigation of agencies here.
Inaugurating the new building of the district headquarters of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) here on Saturday, he said the practice of governments ignoring cases of corruption of favoured people and using investigation agencies against people it did not like was not unknown elsewhere in India. In Kerala, however, no investigation agency was a caged bird, he said in an oblique reference to the Supreme Court observation on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Stating that the VACB had been given the freedom to work independently, Mr. Vijayan said the probes it had conducted into cases relating to different government departments was an example of its freedom. Kerala was the least corrupt State in the country. But corruption still prevailed in some areas, he added.
Bitter experience
The harsh experiences that the people faced from some departments were not a secret. The practices that caused inconvenience to the public should be stopped, he said. Noting that the people hesitate to file complaints about corruption and bribery in some departments, he said the VACB should be able to identify such areas and intervene. Those who had tasted corruption would not leave it easily, he said calling on the agencies to formulate new strategy against such people.
Mr. Vijayan said unauthorised absence from office was a crime like taking bribe, stressing the need for taking action against employees involved in unauthorised absence.
CB’s role
Later, inaugurating various facilities of the Crime Branch (CB) in the district, the Chief Minister said the changing nature of crime required the Crime Branch to change accordingly and utilise the possibilities of new technologies. The government would provide all support to enhance the operations of the agency, he said.
The new facilities opened in Kannur are the new headquarters building for the Crime Branch, District Police Training Centre, Telecommunication Unit and also two kennels in Payyannur and Kolavallur.
Minister Ramachandran Kadannappally presided in both the functions. Ministers E.P. Jayarajan, K.K. Shylaja and State Police Chief Loknath Behera attended these functions.
