Soft on High-level Graft

The present State government of Assam has assured the people that it has zero tolerance of corruption. However, going by the government’s kindness to some corrupt officials, this promise sounds like a mere ritual rather than what the State government really intends. This should be apparent from the State government’s hesitation to initiate pel action against all the 16 top government officials against whom there are charges of corruption by the Crimil Investigation Department (CID). The CID is reported to be awaiting prosecution sanctions against 16 top government functiories in different graft cases. Of the 16 officials, eight are from the Agriculture Department, while five of them were listed as accused in another graft case in the Public Works Department in Golaghat district. According to top CID sources, “The remaining officials are wanted in connection with two cases of misappropriation of public money in the Dima Hasao Autonomous Council, and hence the discretion to allow or deny prosecution sanction falls under the ambit of the Council and not Dispur.” In the Agriculture Department case, the CID had already filed a part charge-sheet seeking sanctions against 11 government officials but were allowed only three. A government that claims to have zero tolerance to corruption must issue sanctions for the arrest of all officers against whom there are charges of corruption. Otherwise people will be justified in claiming that the government follows the rusty and familiar policy of “show me the man and I will show you the rules.”