CVC highlights 34 cases of non-compliance by government departments in tackling corruption

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has identified 34 significant instances where government departments failed to act in accordance with its recommendations for disciplinary action against corrupt officials.

These cases, outlined in the CVC's 2023 annual report, include instances where officials were either fully exonerated or their punishments were significantly reduced, despite the watchdog's advice to impose stricter penalties.

Among the departments flagged, the coal ministry recorded the highest number of violations, with seven cases, followed by five from the State Bank of India (SBI) and four from IDBI Bank. Other departments implicated include the steel ministry, power ministry, and NBCC (India) Limited, each with two cases. Single instances of non-compliance were reported from various agencies, including the Delhi Jal Board, Ministry of Railways, Airports Authority of India (AAI), and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

One example involved officials from Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL) who were implicated in irregularities related to the foreclosing, re-tendering, and awarding of a contract for heavy earth-moving machinery. In August 2018, the CVC recommended major penalties for a project officer, a chief manager, three managers, and a director.

However, all the officials were exonerated by their respective appellate authorities between June 2022 and June 2023, a decision the CVC classified as a "major deviation" from its advice.

Similarly, the report highlighted a case involving the SBI, where a regional office incurred substantial expenses for renovation and asset purchases without following proper procedures. Though the officials involved received major penalties after an inquiry, the penalties were later downgraded to an administrative warning, despite acknowledgment of their misconduct by the review committee.

In another instance, the Delhi Jal Board was flagged for financial irregularities, including sub-standard work and overpayments to contractors. The CVC had recommended major penalties for a junior engineer, which were initially upheld by the disciplinary and appellate authorities. However, a revisionary authority later reduced the penalty to a minor one, another deviation from the CVC’s directive.

The Delhi government's misconduct was also scrutinized, with the report noting gross violations in awarding a contract for manpower services. The tender was awarded to a private firm that lacked the necessary licenses, and no approval was obtained from the competent authority. Although the CVC recommended major penalties in 2021, charges against the key administrative officer were dropped in July 2022.

The CVC emphasized that disregarding its advice undermines the vigilance process and weakens the impartiality of the system. It called for greater adherence to its recommendations to ensure that corruption is addressed more effectively across government sectors.