Snail-paced vigilance dept still working on 2005 cases

Panaji: Outcome of

vigilance

cases against

government

officials is always a matter of curiosity for common man as there is a perception that either the investigation takes a long time to arrive to a logical conclusion and many go scot-free with the change in helm of affairs.

The state vigilance department is still investigating some of the cases dating back to 2005. In all, 102 cases are pending before it for investigation till date.

Out of this, anti-corruption branch is investigating into 46 cases while the general vigilance has been entrusted with the task of unravelling truth in remaining 56 cases. This also includes a case against the leader of opposition Chandrakant ‘Babu’ Kavalekar for possessing assets disproportionate to his known source of income to the tune of Rs 5.5 crore.

In 2017, vigilance department received five cases while 11 in 2016. The oldest cases pending before it includes two of 2006, five of 2012 and seven of 2013. It received 13 cases in 2014 while seven in 2015.

Officials were booked for offences such as seeking illegal gratification, misusing official power, etc.

Other offences included forgery of documents, fraudulently grabbing plots of land, issuing certificates to foreign nationals in suspicious manner, illegality in selection of

Awal Karkuns

and exhibiting lack of application of mind, dereliction of duty and negligence.

Cases were filed against top government officers of various departments which include, then captain of ports A P Mascarenhas, director of animal husbandry and veterinary services, Siddhivinayak Naik, PWD assistant engineer, Ramakant Desai, former chief officer of Margao muncipality, Yeshwant Tavde, then deputy collector and SDO, Ponda, Jayant Tari, besides several others.