The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has, in its annual report, listed over 50 instances in which the disciplinary authorities of various government agencies did not fully comply with its advice of proceedings and departmental action against the accused officials.
The officials in question were posted with agencies such as the railways, the Airport Authority of India (AAI), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), AIIMS-Delhi and some public sector banks.
In one case, seven AAI officials were accused of extending undue favour to a private company by allowing it to use costly equipment of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, lying in the AAI custody, for unlawful remuneration.
On June 3, 2019, the CVC advised major penalty proceedings against two officials and minor penalty proceedings against five. However, the disciplinary authority started minor penalty proceedings against two, while it issued advisory memo to four and displeasure memo to one official, who had retired, without referring their cases to the CVC for its second stage advice or reconsideration.
The annual report cites a case in which a Railway Chief Project Manager cancelled a tender in 2010 to allegedly favour an ineligible firm, which was subsequently awarded the work. The official was also accused of disbursing excessive compensation against the crops on an acquired land. However, against the advice of major penalty, the official was exonerated.
In another case, an Additional Divisional Railway Manager allegedly awarded a tender for “Solar Power Plant for Emergency Load at the DRM Office” to the sole bidder, ignoring that necessary papers were not submitted. The CVC advised major penalty proceedings, but the official was exonerated in January 2019 without seeking second-stage advice.
The report lists a case in which the CVC forwarded a complaint from an MP against the then DGCA Joint Director-General, for investigation and report to the Chief Vigilance Officer in the Ministry of Civil Aviation in June 2012.
False certificates
It was alleged that a captain working as an aviation academy pilot instructor issued false certificates to trainees leading to the grant of commercial pilot licences. The DGCA probed the matter and an FIR was filed. The official was also accused of approving the captain’s appointment as chief flying instructor for unlawful consideration.
In January 2019, the CVC conveyed its strong displeasure over an inordinate delay in furnishing the investigation report and the manner in which the case was dealt with by the Ministry. It also observed that proceedings in the criminal case had not yet been finalised.
The report states that timely action was not taken against a CBIC Additional Director, who faced the charge of deliberately misleading the Departmental Promotion Committee regarding qualification and experience of an employee, which led to his confirmation and regularisation of service. The official retired.
An ONGC official had allegedly kept enquiry reports, related to the action to be taken to ban two firms, with himself in 2013-15. The CVC advised major penalty but the disciplinary authority held that the charges did not hold.
Among the listed cases are those involving alleged irregularities by three BHEL-EML officials; a Director of a Central Research Institute under the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences; and some AIIMS-Delhi officials.
In an alleged case of illegal gratification, the CBI had sought sanction for prosecution and initiation of major penalty proceedings against one AICTE official. However, timely action was not taken and the official retired, according to the report.
