Vigilance Organisation given more teeth in J and K

Srinagar, Nov 28 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir Vigilance Organisation has introduced procedural changes in the investigations into trap cases after it was observed that in some cases the complainants had retracted their statements in the court, a VO spokesman said here today.

Also to encourage people to come out with complaints against corrupt government officials, the state government was considering a proposal to refund trap money on expiry of six months of the date of trap in cases where the complainant could not afford to wait for the refund till final disposal of the case, he said.

The refund will be made after obtaining court orders and the government enter into an agreement with the complainant that on conclusion of the trial, the trap money, which is the case property, would go to the state exchequer, the spokesman added.

These steps were being taken in order to improve the conviction rate besides ensuring more transparency, the spokesman said.

He said investigators have been advised to get recorded statements of complainants and shadow witnesses before a Magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC.

This, he said, has become necessary as in some cases even the complainants had retracted their statements under threat.

For introducing transparency in the probe, it has been ordered that the investigating officer of a trap case will not be a member of the party which goes along with the complainant and witnesses to catch a public servant read-handed receiving the graft money.

''These procedures are in vogue in the CBI and some other VO,'' the spokesman said.

The number of trap cases in which public servants were caught red-handed receiving bribe, have shown a substantial increase as more people were coming forward to lodge complaints against such corrupt officers, he said.

During the current year, the spokesman said 43 cases were registered by the VO against 45 officers who were caught red-handed while taking bribe.

The cases in which successful traps were laid included 13 against revenue officials, 11 against police officials, 7 officials of engineering departments, 2 officials of CA&PD (one AD and one Supervisor) and one each official of the State Financial Corporation, Health, Urban Development Agency, Finance, Consumer Protection, the Sales Tax, Funds Organisation, Education Department (ZEO), Power Development Department and Soil Conservation, he added.

The spokesman said chargesheet in 25 cases had been produced in the court of law after obtaining sanction from the government against 30 cases registered during last year.

Similarly, he said out of 43 trap cases registered during the current year, investigations in 24 cases have been completed. Out of these, chargesheet had been produced in 12 cases by this October end.

UNI BAS HS DS1505