THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The VACB has recommended to the government to implement the Supreme Court directive to prescribe a three-month deadline for granting sanction to prosecute officials. Currently, the requests of Vigilance and
Anti-Corruption Bureau to prosecute 61 officials in various Vigilance cases are pending with the government for three months to three years.
The Supreme Court as well as various panels appointed by the government earlier to suggest steps to improve the functioning of VACB had suggested that in case the sanctioning authority did not convey a decision within three months, it could be deemed as sanction granted. However, this is yet to be implemented. Vigilance director Jacob Thomas told DC that he had taken up the issue with the government.
The VACB had recently published on its portal the list of the 61 pending requests. The oldest one against a veterinary surgeon Dr. J. Vincent, which was sent on June 3, 2013, is pending with the principal secretary of agriculture department. The requests to prosecute Rajasree Ajith, former managing director, Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation, and nine others, have been pending for over five months.
Additional chief secretary (home and vigilance) Nalini Netto has to give sanction in the case of Rajasree Ajith. The lone IAS officer among those in the list is former commissioner for entrance examinations Mr. C.K. Viswanathan. One of the pending requests was sent in 2013, five were forwarded in 2014, 22 in 2015 and the remaining 33 this year.
