VIJAYAWADA: To bring more transparency in cases dealt by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), the State government issued an order prescribing timelines for speedy disposal of cases not more than 100 days and to clear the pending cases with the ACB on Sunday. The order issued by Chief Secretary Adithya Nath Das revealed that a total of 1,686 cases registered from 1991 till 2021 are pending and the investigation into the cases is yet to reach its logical conclusion.
In the year 1961, ACB formed as a separate department to check effectively the corruption and to improve the moral tone of the administration in the State.However, this objective does not seem to have been fulfilled completely with the pending cases. A large number of such cases are found to be pending and the time taken for disposal of these disciplinary cases is unduly long in almost all cases.
“Delay in finalisation of the disciplinary cases results in a large number of employees remaining under suspension and drawing full/part salaries without turning out any constructive work thus proving to be a burden on the State exchequer,” as per the GO.
“Failure to conclude the disciplinary proceedings within 100 days or failure to follow the above prescribed timelines by the departments, competent authorities and ACB shall be viewed seriously by the government and disciplinary action shall be taken against the concerned, responsible for the delay,” the order highlighted.
The GO also set specific deadlines for investigation and prosecution procedures in trap cases filed by the ACB and disciplinary proceedings. It also reiterates that disciplinary proceedings against government employees should be done simultaneously along with criminal proceedings.