ACB shows how to fight corruption

By OUR CORRESPONDENT

Mumbai, Jan. 11, 2007: The Anti-Corruption Bureau or ACB on Thursday asked Karmayog, an non-government organisation or NGO and other groups to inform them as to where the ACB posters displaying the contact details of the ACB office are missing in the government offices.

The ACB also invited suggestions for improving procedures in government departments. Emails can be sent, with a copy to for follow-up under the M-PAC (Mumbai - Pact Against Corruption Programme).

A meeting was held between the ACB and Karmayog and the other NGOs in Mumbai on Thursday as part of the ongoing collaboration between citizens and the ACB to fight corruption in all the government departments.

The ACB said it needed from citizens some proof, video or audio conversations of the government officer demanding a bribe. Mr Vinay Somani, trustee, Karmayog said, "The ACB explained that its role is limited to three types of cases viz. Disproportionate Assets of a Public Servant, Misuse of Public Office and Trapping a bribe-seeker. ACB works closely with the complainant to trap the concerned public servant. The procedure is straightforward but the identity of the complainant cannot be a secret, either during or after the investigation. Even bribes of small amounts of Rs 500 are sufficient causes."

This has a very salutary effect and so groups must get together and then one individual can work with ACB to set up a trap.

In the discussion the ACB officials asked the participants to spread the word that if anyone knows any public servant who has assets far beyond his / her official income, can give specific information on it by sending an email. Mr Somani said, "One of the suggestions raised in the public M-PAC meeting held between NGOs, citizens and ACB was that every government department has to compulsorily have a vigilance cell to whom the public can complain. Most government departments have not set this up. The law should be changed so as to bring all vigilance cells under the purview of the ACB."

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