198 Cases Filed Against 350 GHMC Staffers In The Last 12 Years
Koride Mahesh | TNN
Hyderabad: As many as 350 staffers of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) are facing 198 corruption cases filed either by the Vigilance and Enforcement (V&E) wing or Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in the last 12 years.
Interestingly, of the total 198 cases, 70 per cent pertain to town planning wing and another 20 per cent cases to the engineering wing. The rest belong to the tax department and other wings of the municipal corporation.
While the ACB booked 94 cases against the staffers for either being caught red-handed while taking bribe or for possessing disproportionate assets, the Vigilance and Enforcement (V&E) wing of general administration department conducted inquiry in 104 cases and framed corruption charges against the officials.
Most of these allegations and charges belong to unauthorised constructions, deviation of sanctioned plan, building rules and zoning regulations, irregularities in the execution of road works, allegations in tender process, tax assessment and irregularities in trade licences. Apart from these, the charges have been framed against the staffers and officials by the ACB for taking bribe and possessing disproportionate assets cases.
Though 198 cases were booked since 1999, no action has been initiated against the staff and officers concerned in the last 10 years. In certain town planning cases, though the allegations have been proved by the investigating agencies, the chief city planner of the corporation failed to provide the names of the officers and staff responsible for the act in at least 10 cases.
For instance, the chief city planner has to furnish the names of the officers involved in the cases of encroachment in open spaces at Jubilee Hills Cooperative Housing Society (VR 81(423/V&E) dt/03). Other cases pertained to unauthorised construction of an apartment in Film Nagar (2003 case), construction in AG colony, Erragadda and illegal constructions at Punjagutta.
This startling revelation was made by the GHMC authorities in response to a written question by Azampura corporator Amjad Ullah Khan to the general council. Though the corporator sent his query a year ago, the officials responded to it only now.
Interestingly many officers, who have been facing the charges in various cases are working in their respective wings and some of them have even secured promotions. A town planning assistant working with Kukatpally circle was found having an assets of Rs 75 lakh a few years ago. Similarly, a city planner was caught with about Rs 16 lakh cash at his home.
“The officers and staffers against whom the graft charges were framed should not be given important postings especially those dealing with finance and having sanctioning authority. But many got the postings within a few months,” Amjad Ullah Khan said.
Generally, the V&E sends the inquiry report to the department concerned to take necessary action against the officers found guilty with specific recommendations. But both the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) and GHMC are sitting on the reports without initiating any action, said sources. Certain cases were closed by the officials by just imposing minor punishments like cut in the increment and transfers, they added.
135 petitions filed against corrupt babus in ACB
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said it has received more than 135 petitions against all-India service officers in the state in the last five years charging them with corruption. While 77 petitions pertain to IAS officers, the remaining belong to IPS and IFS officers. As per the information obtained under the RTI Act, the complaints pertained to the period from 2005 to 2010. The ACB has sought the state government’s permission to probe the charges in five instances, it said. TNN
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