STRICTLY ADHERE TO TIME LIMIT IN PROBES AGAINST OFFICIALS: SHAH TO MHA DEPTS

NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah has ordered the departments under him to complete internal enquiries against officers facings allegations of corruption or administrative lapses in prescribed time limits.

A communication, sent to all the divisions and organisations under the ministry of home affairs (MHA), said, “It is observed by the Hon’ble home minister that the prescribed schedule of time limits in conducting investigations and departmental inquiries is not being followed by the departments/divisions as per the instructions issued by Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)”. HT has seen the communication.

According to the guidelines issued by CVC in May 2000 on time limits for departmental inquiries, once a complaint against an officer in any government department is received, a decision on whether it involves a vigilance angle or not has to be taken within a month and the department inquiry should be completed within six months.

The letter sent to all divisions under the MHA and chief vigilance officers (CVOs) of all departments on behalf of Shah says that there should be strict compliance of the guidelines.

Officials familiar with the development said many inquiries linger on for years without any reasons.

As reported by HT last month, the anti-corruption watchdog – Central Vigilance Commission – had also written to all CVOs in all ministries and government departments to complete the disciplinary proceedings against officers facing inquiries for corruption or administrative lapses in time even if they were to conduct the proceedings through video-conferencing amid the Covid-19 pandemic.