CBI uses technology to check corruption among Central government staff...........Shahkar Abidi  Mumbai

 

THE CENTRAL Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in an effort to curb corruption among Central government officials, has launched an SMS campaign to create awareness among the masses.

"The general public does not know what to do in case a Central government employee harasses them or asks for a bribe. This campaign will create awareness, which will hopefully bring down corruption levels," said Superintendent of Police, CBI (Anti-Corruption Bureau, Maharashtra) Praveen Solanke.

The agency has tied up with major cellular service providers to pass the message on to their customers.

A team of CBI officials headed by the superintendent of police (Anti-Corruption Bureau), CBI, of every state will look into the corruption complaints. Though the complainant's identity will be kept secret, the investigating agency will not entertain anonymous and pseudonymous complaints, one of the officials said. An advertisement regarding this was also carried in leading national newspapers across the country .

The CBI monitors corruption in the central government department and central public sector undertakings.

According to CBI officials, they have received an overwhelming response from the public, and more and more people are coming forward to share their experiences with the investigating agency. "The response is overwhelming and the number of complaints coming to us has increased manifolds," Solanke said.

In the first five months this year, the CBI registered as many as 369 cases of corruption against Central government officials.

The CBI in May arrested a surveyor of mercantile marine department, Old CGO Complex, Mumbai, while accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from the complainant for issuance of Sail Worth Certificate for foreign ships. The surveyor had initially demanded Rs 4 lakh but scaled down to Rs 2 lakh.

Four officials of the Regional Provident Fund Commissionerate, Mumbai, and two directors of a private group of companies were caught in April on charges of entering into a criminal conspiracy and cheating the government by preparing bogus bills of Provident Fund contributions in order to avail undue benefit to the tune of Rs 168 crore.

A head constable with the RPF, Mumbai, was also arrested for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 from a complainant to settle a pending matter.

URL: http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=14_07_2008_004_001&typ=0&pub=264