NEW DELHI: Delhi Minister Atishi on Tuesday accused officers of the vigilance department of threatening, intimidating, and harassing officers of different departments into issuing illegal orders.
In a letter to all additional chief secretaries/principal secretaries/secretaries/HODs/autonomous bodies/corporations, the services minister said officers get repeated phone calls from certain vigilance department officials, threatening them that “if they don’t issue some orders, then inquiries would be initiated against them and they would be suspended.” Atishi’s move adds yet another episode to the never-ending tussle between the Delhi government and bureaucracy.
The minister said in case such threats are received over a phone call, the officers should record the phone call. In case officers are called to the vigilance department and the threats are made in person, then the official who is being threatened or intimidated should record the conversation on their phone. “These recordings are admissible as evidence in both disciplinary and legal proceedings. Strongest possible action shall be taken against such vigilance department officers,” says Atishi’s letter.
“The objective of the vigilance framework is to ensure ethical organizations, systems and procedures of the government, and to curb corruption through preventive and punitive mechanisms. Contrary to this, it appears that certain Vigilance officers are misusing their authority,” Atishi said.
Atishi referred to the Vigilance Manual (2021), issued by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and said it took a strong view against harassment or victimization of officials under the pretext of frivolous and vexatious vigilance matters.
Meanwhile, vigilance department sources said the minister was making wild allegations. “She has failed to provide any such complaints, which raises doubts about the factual correctness of her notes,” said a vigilance department official.