BHUBANESWAR: Bad news for tainted public servants booked in disproportionate assets (DA) cases as the State Vigilance has asked its SPs and Special Public Prosecutors (PPs) to get on their toes for filing time-bound applications for attachment and pre-trial confiscation of such property.
The anti-corruption bureau is undertaking a special drive this year to expedite attachment and confiscation proceedings in all such cases under the Orissa Special Courts Act, 2006.
DG, Vigilance Dr RP Sharma said a review meeting on the pending attachments and confiscation proceedings was held recently where all divisional SPs, Special PPs and DSPs of State Vigilance were exhorted to accord top priority to filing pending applications before appropriate courts so that tainted officials could be restrained from disposing of their assets and ill-gotten wealth is confiscated.
Between 2013 and 2017, the Vigilance received authorisation in 141 cases from State Government to file prosecution before the Court of Authorised Officers at Cuttack and Bhubaneswar for confiscation of assets. So far, applications in 114 cases have already been filed while the rest 27 cases will be filed before the Cuttack court.
During this period, confiscation proceedings in 43 cases have been disposed of while final orders were passed in 24 for confiscation of assets whereas 19 cases were either dropped, quashed or abated. Of the 24 cases of confiscation, the Government took possession of assets in six. However, since the accused secured stay orders from Orissa High Court, the Government could not take charge of the assets.
Between 2013 and 2017, the Government has accorded approval in 134 applications for attachment of assets and State Vigilance cleared 127 applications for filing before the District Judges out of which 92 have already been filed while ad interim orders have been received in 19 cases. Last year, Vigilance was successful in registering 575 criminal cases, a record high for the organisation.
As per Section 13 of Orissa Special Courts Act, 2006, the PP attached to the Authorised Court can submit application before Authorised Officer for confiscation of disproportionate assets acquired by senior officers and persons holding political offices.
The Act is unique as it allowed, for the first time in the country, pre-trial confiscation of assets. Taking a leaf out of the legislation passed by Odisha, Bihar, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have implemented the concept of pre-trial confiscation proceedings.