‘Babus shielding corrupt officials’

The Lokayukta is a constitutional body,which is responsible for fighting administrative corruption,conducting investigation into complaints of corruption and submitting its reports to the state government for follow-up action.

If no action is taken by the government within three months,the Lokayukta sends a special report to the Governor,who is also the head of the legislature. In 2009,the Lokayukta submitted as many as 19 reports to the state government — the Action Taken Report is still awaited. Consider some cases where the corrupt are being shielded:

CASE I
Mulayam Singh,an engineer of the UP Rajkiya Nirman Nigam posted in the project unit at Kanshiram Medical College at Orai in Jalaun district,had allegedly demanded a bribe from a contractor for releasing his payment.

On receiving the complaint,“we investigated the matter and established a foolproof case under the Prevention of Corruption Act,but the engineer is being shielded by the bureaucracy. Far from prosecution,the engineer has not even been suspended from service,” said the Lokayukta. In this case,the Lokayukta has even sent a special report to the Governor.

CASE II
The Lokayukta conducted an investigation following a complaint by a Dalit student about inordinate delays in the release of scholarship money by the Social Welfare Department.

“The investigation revealed that the Finance Department was diverting the funds for scholarship,which were received as grant from the Centre,to other heads of expenditure,” said Mehrotra.

“A case of irregularity against the Finance Department was established and the officers responsible were identified. I referred the matter to the chief minister and she also took serious note of the report. Yet none have been punished so far,” added Mehrotra.

CASE III
Mehrotra said that the state government has also not taken action on the report against Kaiser Jahan,BSP parliamentarian from Sitapur and also the chairperson of Laharpur Nagarpalika,who had been indicted for purchasing high mast lights “at exorbitant rates”.

“First the Principal Secretary,Urban Development,requested me to reconsider the report and later the government exonerated her of corruption charge,” said Mehrotra.

“The state government is not an appellate authority on the Lokayukta’s reports. The government should have tabled the report in the Assembly and let the people’s representative decide,” he added. Now the Lokayukta has submitted a special report on Kaiser Jahan’s case to the Governor.

Mehrotra,a retired judge of the Allahabad High Court,said: “There could be three reasons for no action on our reports: procedural delays,fighting corruption not being a priority of the government,or it is just not interested in punishing the corrupt.”

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