Andhra Govt cracks down on corrupt staff

The Andhra Pradesh Government8217;s anti-corruption drive has sent those government servants scurrying for cover for whom reaching under the table for that bundle of notes is a second habit.

The Andhra Pradesh Government8217;s anti-corruption drive has sent those government servants scurrying for cover for whom reaching under the table for that bundle of notes is a second habit.

What has given them the fright is Anti-Corruption Bureau ACB overdrive which has not only trapped 152 gazetted officers and 293 non-gazetted officers in the past 10 months either for accepting bribes or for having disproportionate assets, but also achieved convictions in 90 of the 100 cases that went to court in the past 10 months. It also achieved convictions in all 12 cases of disproportionate assets filed between January 1 and October 25, 2008.

There is also terror in the shady corners of government offices because the ACB is making watertight cases against the officials resulting in immediate punishments from disciplinary authorities besides facing the corruption charges. At least 81 officers have been suspended this year while four have been dismissed from service.

8220;We have simply raised the risks. We want them to think twice if the risk is worth taking. Especially when we are making efforts to make sure the risks are much higher now than before,8221; says Director General ACB R R Girish Kumar.

8220;The traps are well publicised by the Bureau both when the official is trapped and if he is convicted in court. A lot of social stigma is being attached to such officials because of the publicity. With meticulous investigation, as properties are seized and all bank accounts are being freezed, corrupt officials if caught find themselves without a penny.

The ACB also ensures that disciplinary action is taken against the arrested officers by their respective departments which means either a suspension or dismissal. By making strong cases we are making them pay such a heavy price that the years of corruption would appear a small crime,8221; Kumar explains.

Kumar says a three-pronged approach of traps, punishment by way of attached properties and bank accounts, and swift prosecution resulting in convictions is yielding results.

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No one has been spared. Special deputy collectors, deputy collectors, assistant directors, general and zonal managers, police inspectors, superintending engineers, survey officers, executive engineers and revenue inspectors, officers of various government departments have had that heart-stopping moment of being caught red-handed by the ACB in the past few months. And, these are not small catches of Rs 10-15,000.

P Ram Gopal Rao, special deputy collector, land acquisition for Ranga Reddy Medak districts, was trapped while accepting a bribe of Rs 11 lakh through an accomplice. Rao actually demanded a bribe of Rs 80 lakh to denotify lands. The Rs 11 lakh was supposed to be the first installment.

An assistant engineer in the Panchayati Raj department was found to have Rs 1.27 crore worth of cash and jewellery at his home in Mahboobnagar. Properties worth Rs 2 crore were found to be owned by P Kasinath, a superintending engineer of irrigation department. A tehsildar of revenue department in Vizag district had assets worth over Rs 1 crore.