KOCHI: It seems the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has been bitten by the delay bug. Many cases drag on for years before the accused are convicted. According to data with the bureau, there were successful convictions in only 24 cases in the past 10 years in the state.
As many as 1,877 cases were registered against public servants in the past decade. Only 163 were disposed of after completion of trial. But the accused were convicted in only 24 cases. Replying to a question raised by Abid Hussain Thangal in the Assembly, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the delay was caused by several reasons - the High Court stay orders, delay in receiving reports of samples collected during the probe, time taken to source documents from government offices and the lack of manpower.
Investigation has been completed in 730 cases and some of them were registered 13 years ago. Trial is pending in 1,396 cases in six Vigilance courts.
Close to 240 cases were registered against 476 government officers last year. However, the chargesheets are yet to be filed in most of the cases. AAP state convener C R Neelakandan told Express the Vigilance mechanism would be on track only if the bureau becomes an independent entity free from political intervention.
“Now, the government has transferred all the officers probing prime corruption cases in the state. It is also not cooperating with RTI queries - the sole weapon of the common man to fight the corrupt system. Both the LDF and the UDF are using the bureau for their own interests. This system has to change to ensure a corruption-free state,” he said.
A Vigilance officer told Express one of the main reasons for the delay in completing investigation is the lack of manpower. “Despite regular demand for appointing additional officers, nothing has been done till now,” he said. “In VACB, a DySP has to investigate at least 10 to 15 cases at a time,” he said. There is also delay from other departments in handing over the necessary documents related to the probe, he said.
Worrying numbers Investigation completed in 730 cases.
Trial pending in 1,396 cases in six Vigilance courts
Close to 240 cases registered against 476 government officers last year