Blowing the whistle heard, CVC gets 78 valid cases

Of date, some 300 complaints have been received by the CVC and, of them, 78 cases were found to be ‘‘actionable.’’

The CVC’s experience has been that the Departments/Ministries concerned were responding faster with their reports and comments than to those filed by ordinary complainants. As a result, reports have been received by the CVC in 27 cases and action—be it departmental action or advice/ displeasure being reco-rded—has already been taken in six cases.

Shankar says that as per the directions of the Supreme Court, the complaints of whistleblowers were being handled in absolute secracy with the names of the complainants being masked out by their confidential section immediately on receipt.

If at all, the CVC sends an acknowlegement on plain stationary only in a few cases.

As an early pattern, Shankar elaborates, they have found the whistleblower complaints are better documented and sent mostly by people who can be described as insiders. ‘‘These are complaints of a higher level and qualitatively better than what we normally receive. Government officials obviously feel emboldened by the Resolution,’’ he said.

Though Parliament is yet to pass the Whistle Blowers Act, Shankar says they have a system in place for dealing with these complaints and said he did not want to name the Departments which have already initiated disciplinary action against officials. ‘‘This is an extension of the function the CVC was already undertaking. But the real test will be to ensure that all the complainants are also being protected and do not get harassed or victimised in any manner,’’ he said.