Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta detects ill gotten wealth worth over Rs 300 crores
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta has detected in the last five years wealth and properties worth over Rs 300 crore acquired allegedly through corrupt means.
As many as 146 cases related to Disproportionate Assets (DA) were registered involving corrupt proceeds worth Rs 303 crore between June 29, 2009 and April 30, 2014, Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta Justice (retd) Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar said.
He said the state Lokayukta has registered 891 trap cases in which government officials were allegedly found demanding and receiving bribe from people during the same period.
The Lokayukta has registered 704 cases and detected or seized properties worth Rs 417.27 crore allegedly acquired through corrupt means during February 1982 and March 2013.
State government has punished 4,280 gazetted and non- gazetted officials during the period on recommendations of Lokayukta for their alleged involvement in corruption, according to Lokayukta's data.
Recently, Lokayukta Police had conducted searches in residence of an IPS officer for his alleged involvement in corruption.
Last week too, it had raided the official residence and other premises of State Joint Director (Industries), in two cities and unearthed details of immovable properties worth crores, which were disproportionate to his known sources of income.
Lokayukta is a statutory body, free from the executive influence, mandated to check corruption in the state.
While raids being conducted by the Lokayukta is making news across the country, an anti-corruption activist in the state has raised doubts over claims made by it.
"There is no basis of their figure on wealth or properties acquired through corrupt means. Lokayukta has not put its annual reports before state legislative assembly. Infact, they are boasting their work to visit foreign countries," said Ajay Dubey, member of Transparency International, Madhya Pradesh.
According to a letter written by M K Pal, the then Secretary of Lokayukta to state government's principal secretary in April last year, Lokayukta has seized about Rs 787 crore between 2010-12 and registered 678 cases between 2009 and April 2013 against corrupt government officials.
The letter, copy of which was accessed by Dubey exercising his Right to Information (RTI), was written by Pal informing state government's about a tour to Finland and Sweden by Lokayukta officials to study anti-corruption system there.
"The letter has all false claims by Lokayukta on its work. If they have seized such a large number of ill-wealth why don't they make it public. Why is it shying away from putting its annual report before legislative assembly," posed Dubey, adding that Lokayukta has not yet submitted its report or observation on the basis of its tours.
However, his claims were refuted by Naolekar.
"It is not our job to put annual reports before the assembly. We have been giving our yearly reports to the state governments. They should be doing it," the Lokayukta said.
