CVC asks ex-Armymen, scribes to help probe defence deals

He said the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) had sent a note to former Army generals, scribes and former defence officials to share whatever information they had regarding these deals.

The CVC had initiated proceedings into some defence deals on receipt of a formal communication in February from the Defence Ministry to probe the transactions made after 1989.

The Commission would investigate defence deals signed from 1989 onwards, when the government had decided to keep off middle-men. Only deals over Rs 75 crore will be probed by the Commission.

Asked when the probe would be completed, Vittal said, "even though no cut-off time has been fixed, CVC had kept in mind some fixed time-frame which would be met."

On corruption in the country, he said black money amounted to 35 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

"Black money is a good index to find corruption in the country," he added. Vittal emphasised on the need to rope in youth and various NGOs for checking corruption in the country.

Stressing greater transparency at the bureaucratic level, the CVC said corruption in the last three decades had increased more than three times.

Comparing corruption with AIDS, Vittal said: "Corruption is spread by uncontrolled Financial behaviour."

He also called for formation of National Vigilance Corpsat colleges similar lines as that of National Cadet Corps.

Vittal suggested amending the All India Service rules and bringing all officers of these cadres under the purview of the CVC.

He said this move was afoot soon after the creation of the CVC in 1964 but nothing was achieved in the past 35 years.

Regretting the media attention the CVC website had attracted, he said: "I wonder if the debate set off in the media is aimed at checking corruption or making fun of the CVC website."

He denied that by putting names of officers on the website, the Commission had violated any defamation law of the Constitution.