Save yourself from Vigilance Case

Last updated on January 3rd, 2016 at 05:03 am

HONESTY

Corruption is the abuse of public power for private benefit. People have become so tired with the prevailing level of corruption in the Government Sector that every Government official is doubted for his integrity.  A very high level of punishment is what public wishes, and thus so much of enthusiasm generated in common man for Lokpal. It is the honest environment that generates honesty. The crime against woman is not coming down even after such a strict law. It is because of lust and criminality of mind that no amount of strict law can make a dent. Corruption and vulgar display of what money can deliver generates Hawas then how Lokpal will work is also a subject of debate. There is a saying “Jaisa Raja waisi Praja” or “As the King so are the subjects”. Corruption roots are top down and not bottom up. Top had always been able to oversee the system so well that no authority could challenge or check his action or wrong behavior.

China and Indian ranks 39 and 36 from the bottom of Corruption Perception Score respectively. Law in China is much stronger as compared to India, but matches in the level of corruption. Indian ranked 94th level in the world, less corrupt than Pakistan during 2012-13. Lokpal is going to provide more teeth to authority to nab top officials and politicians and that is the expectations. If Lokpal can help in transforming top towards handling Government business honestly, it will certainly travel down.

Organisational honesty plays an important rule and look at the Supreme Court Judgement on Siemens petition about procurement of 496 coaches. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Delhi-Metro-wins-coaches-SC-fines-Siemens-Rs-5-lakh/articleshow/30418919.cms. This is beside the ugly role played by the Ministry of Urban Development in influencing Supreme Court with a wrong intention. This is where a group of honest officers left to fight themselves. The question is “What is going to happen when the honest officer commit mistake without corrupt intention in mind?” A vigilance case means doubt on the integrity.  The law is going to judge the honesty based on what is recorded in the file and interpretation by the investigative agency for any concealed motive. There is no way in the law to find out the exchange of money through the case file in the deal unless caught taking bribe.

• Category I : Honest or dishonest are a choice one makes in his career. The choice depends basically on three things

1.   Strong family and social Values for honesty,
2.   Strong intention to achieve and do something better for the society
3.    Never compromising for financial gain
4.    Conscious does not permit to look for unlawful gains
5.    Always act in the interest of the organization

Such percentage is very less in the system. Make sure that you cannot change a dishonest person by sermons but by action. Therefore, never trying to preach honesty, but generate an environment of honesty and never uttering a word or a campaign on honesty versus dishonesty. An honest reputation may help him a favorable attitude from seniors, but he shall develop instincts to sense any of the corrupt designs around him.

• Category II: Fear of vigilance/CBI/Police

1. May be tempted to make quick money
2. Others are making why not me
3. Afraid of society/colleagues and pretends his honesty
4. Justifies his dishonesty to himself for the need of children and family
5.  Most financial dishonest, but technically honest. Technical dishonesty causes more harm to the system and invites complaints.
6.  Generally takes action in the interest of the organization, but may take advantage to his benefit if it so arises

Such percentage is quite significant. The effort shall not be to trap them in vigilance cases, but motivate towards honest working. Five acts of refusal of offered bribe money can help him in making up his moral values. In fact, they will change as soon as the top changes with fear of Lokpal start making its imprint.

• Category III: Openly dishonest, but very cunning and  thrifty

1.   Makes money and share as well with the group
2.    Technically as well financial dishonest. He has the capability to prove any technical reversal with a corrupt design.
3.    Very soft spoken/respectful to boss as well colleagues
4.    Never initiates any noting himself for anyone to pin down him after
5.     Very articulate and ability to justify any wrongs
6.     Mostly takes action with the aim of personal financial gains

Such people are less and generally enjoy political or bureaucratic blessings. Very difficult to pin down on paper and to follow unconventional methods like sting operation, traps, check on financial dealings and disproportionate assets.

TRANSPARENCY

Rules, regulations and transparency are formulated with the intention to make sure Govt. transacts it business with honestly. Dishonesty is judged mainly by slip in the adherence to the rules and regulations. One can survive with dishonest conduct if he follows the rules and regulations in the right earnest. On the other hand, an honest person, even with  his honest conscious, some time takes decision in the interest of administration but unable to see the rule and thus lands himself into trouble. Why it is important to understand the rules and regulation and follow it with good intent?

• It Reduces opportunity for dishonest persons to make money
• Any act or omission of dishonesty surfaces out clearly to prevent him to act or easy identification later
• Encouraging honest contractor/suppliers/public to believe in system for honest dealings with the Government business
• Recording of reasons for a decision very carefully because any one seeks records of the decision-making process through RTI

Information Technology has provided a platform for transparent dealing and time base delivery system. IT is so robust with features that it can almost eliminate the possibility of face to face interface. The organization shall work with total dedication to make use of IT for transparent dealings in all its business and dealing with the average person. IT is having the power to play a dominant role in preventing any corrupt practices particularly in pretty bureaucratic arrogance like passport, marriage/birth/death registration, ration card, voter’s I Card, property registration, vehicle license and registration, Income/sales/service Tax, Judiciary, and Police etc. This alone can change the perception to a large extent and effects the average person a lot. It should he able to improve Perception Level from the present 94 to within 50 which help in generating an honest environment around person, a feeling of happiness. Feeling of happiness generates confidence in the system, a most important initiation towards corrupt free society.

Role of information technology is equally important in decision-making process where it involves Government spending involving huge money. IT helps in reminding a decision maker through pop ups about the action he is missing for transparent dealings.

COMPLAINTS

The issues that make you vulnerable to vigilance are generally based on complaints. Complaints may or may not be genuine but certainly motivated in view of the personal interest involved of the complainant. Your conduct will only be judged by compliance of rules and regulation. Non-compliance in any way will be construed as misconduct resulting a vigilance case against you.

An honest person thinks that when he has not taken any money in a deal, then how he can be held for any wrong doing. But he is wrong. During any investigation into a case of a wrong doing at any stage, all signatories into the case are examined with a suspect of wrongdoing. Therefore, one has to be careful, if he is in the company of corrupt officials. An honest person normally does not bother towards any complaint and generally takes it very lightly.

On the other hand, a dishonest person is very careful to make sure that no one dares to write a complaint against him. He handles complaints even patching with the complainant with a promise of money consideration or a business prospects in future.

An honest officer shall see the following

• Never be arrogant towards his honesty
• Never be careless towards the complaint
• Keep track of the complaint and his motive
• Keep a watch on total business with the organisation and keep tracking him with his business dealing to catch him at another wrong front.

ANALYSIS OF VIGILANCE CASES

               The Vigilance cases arises of irregularities while performing duties mainly in the following areas

• Misconduct – Violation of conduct rules
• Stores Procurement: Stores procurement involves specification for quality, assessment of quantity, reasonableness of rates and transparency
• Works Contract: Estimates, Tender Condition, Measurement Book, Variation Statement, Last Accepted Rate, Transparency,
• Selection: Setting of Question paper, Model Answer, Evaluation of Answer books, Scoring Sheet
• Believing others above or below you of their action and gets you in trouble
• Misguided by others misconduct and following his path
• Any other issue which is related in any way having financial implication, undue benefit to any person and loss to Government etc.

One has to study all issues carefully and apply his role in all situations.

ALERT

One should be careful that CBI/Vigilance departments have also been used to settle old issues by registering a vigilance investigation causing damage to honest officers. The corruption level has only gone up during the last 25 years, even after the formation of CVC, then it only speaks that the watchdog of corruption has failed to do its job effectively. Corruption cases are based on what is written on the papers and cannot help in eradicating corruption in the society. Dishonest person is clever enough to make sure that he does not commit any mistake in following rules and regulation.   

Everyone believes that he will face vigilance charge not because he is dishonest, but because he is simple and commits silly mistakes in following rules and regulations. Dishonest people are moving freely, happily, carefree with no remorse of their action. CBI/Vigilance will act only on a complaint which gives sufficient encouragement to dishonest person to survive. If this is the situation, what is the motivation for the large percentage of officials of category II? This is the reasons that corruption is only going up and up even after so much of CBI cases against senior officials of the rank of Ministers/Secretary/Chairman of PSUs etc.

Share your story of the honest persons who have been harassed with damage to career due to designed act of Bureaucrat in Power/CBI/Vigilance.

Red handed catch by CBI

If any one is caught red handed by CBI accepting or giving bribe, it results in criminal proceeds culminating to imprisonment. A loss of job, respect, family shame and a very difficult life ahead. The news the other day

http://www.govemployees.in/2016/01/02/cbi-red-handed-caught-two-railway-officers-while-taking-bribe/

The life for these two persons for the next 8-10 years will be no cake-walk. CBI inquiry along with departmental inquiry will make the life miserable. In such cases, if you succeed in proving that the bribe was not demanded, there is possibility of escaping imprisonment but on the other hand if CBI succeed in proving that the bribe was paid on demand, than there is no escape route.