THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau is likely to launch a detailed probe into the involvement of government employees with private coaching centres across the state after a preliminary investigation revealed that two Secretariat staff played a major role in managing the day-to-day affairs of two leading PSC coaching centres. Vigilance sources said a probe on a petition received by Thiruvananthapuram Special Investigation Team II threw light into the involvement of a few government employees, who ran private coaching centres registered in the name of their relatives and friends.
A senior Vigilance officer said two employees of the Secretariat were suspected of running separate PSC coaching centres. One of them was on a long leave since 2013. Based on the complaint, the Vigilance on Sunday conducted raids at these centres and seized documents, including register books. In another separate incident, a Fire and Rescue Services officer was found taking classes in a coaching centre and he was booked red-handed. These coaching centres have presence in all major cities in the state.
Vigilance sources said there has been numerous instances where government employees own private establishments, including coaching centres, or work in them for monetary benefits, which contravenes the Service Rules. “As per Service Rules, government employees cannot simultaneously associate with financially yielding private jobs. Even those who are on leave should reveal to the government if they are working with any private firms,” said a senior Vigilance officer.
The Vigilance, meanwhile, will also write to the government asking details of the employees who are on long leave. “Those who are on long leave without pay can take up private jobs. But they are mandated to inform the government in writing prior to joining such jobs,” said sources.
PSC TO HOLD PARALLEL INVESTIGATION
T’Puram: The Kerala PSC will conduct a parallel investigation into the complaint that the government staff, including those working in the PSC office, are involved in giving training to PSC aspirants at various coaching centres in the capital, PSC chairman M K Sakeer has said. He was responding to the media after the Vigilance raid took place at two PSC coaching centres at Thampanoor here on Sunday based on a complaint that the government staff from the Secretariat and PSC office are involved in teaching the aspirants. “The state government should take stringent action against such people. PSC has no connection with these coaching centres. However, we will also conduct an internal probe,” Sakeer said.