SinceMarch 2012 when the current government took over, ACB has been handed over 28cases. Of these, seven are high profile ones and have raised the expectationsof the Bureau. Take for example the SEZ case. The Goan had in its issue datedJuly 28, exposed how government bent backwards to allot plots to privateparties, in violation of various rules and by causing a loss to theexchequer.
The government acting on The Goan’s expose after a long wait of sixyears finally registered an FIR. The only catch it was against unknown persons.Despite the fact that High Court judgment and documentary evidence clearlypoint at the involvement of specific politicians, bureaucrats but the FIRlodged was against unknown persons. Speaking to The Goan SP of Anti-CorruptionBureau Bosco George did confirm that that FIR registered after a high profileinvestigation was registered against unknown public, private and a privatecompany but he has no reply as to why specific individuals nailed even by TheGoan’s expose have not been framed.
One of the most interesting casesthat the government assigned to ACB was the inquiry into the health departmentissued appointment orders on December 28, 2011 after Election Code of Conductwas in place. The mandate was also to find out how 194 of the 292 jobappointees hail from a particular area. The interim report for this case alsohas been submitted back to the government. What is baffling is despite the factthat the 194 appointees turned out to be from Valpoi, the former Health MinisterVishwajeet Rane representing the same constituency; the government has notquestioned him
Whatis baffling is the fact that despite clear cut cases of the rot in the PublicWorks Department where The Goan had exposed how over 214 contracts worth Rs 60crores was awarded over two days before the code of conduct for the electionskicked in, a clear cut establishment of corruption has not been investigated. TheACB’s Bosco George though initially made a mention of PWD cases under ACBscanner, later confirmed that there were no such specific instructions from thegovernment to investigate. PWD Minister Sudin Dhavlikar who had told The Goanthat the matter will be investigated by ACB qualified his stand saying “it isthe Vigilance Department within PWD that will be investigating these cases”.How much would PWD investigate its’ own is hugely suspect.
FormerChief Minister Digambar Kamat may have been able to evade Shah Commissions sofar but the interim report on appointment letters offered to 230 people inDecember last again after Code of Conduct for the post of mines supervisors isanother clear implication from ACB that awaits Government’s nod to file an FIR.
Oneof the stickiest of cases where ACB’s interim report, is of the appointment of28 Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspectors. What the Bureau found was there had beenirregular recruitments of some posts of Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspectors bythe department nearly a year back which lacked transparency and had severalirregularities. The transport department has another interim report oncorruption and payoff in the High Security Registration Plates scam that CMParrikar himself had raked as Leader of the Opposition. Will he act knowingthat the department falls under coalition partner Sudin Dhavlikar?
Whilethe job scam in the Animal Husbandry Department again nails its former MinisterRavi Naik and his son Roy Naik? What is interesting is whether the governmentwill soft peddle its stand on filing an FIR despite ACB’s interim reportrecommending it. With glaring indictments, such as the Registrar ofCooperatives’ bribery scandal, also awaiting government nod to file FIR andprosecute, the government needs to prove that it is willing to let its anti-corruptionbody go the whole nine yards to tackle corruption.
