Thiruvananthapuram: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has decided to compile a list of the most corrupt government officials and the most honest officials in Kerala. The increasing number of bribery cases in the last four years has prompted the Home Department to order such an action.
The list would be prepared at the district level after confidentially gathering information even from the offices in the lower rungs of all departments.
In each department, the public services in which corruption is the most rampant would be identified. The factors enabling graft too would be ascertained. As part of this, not just offices that have been under the scanner over bribery complaints, but all offices in all departments would be inspected.
Though most of the graft complaints are against revenue, registration, and local self-government departments, the Vigilance would check all departments.
The Vigilance personnel has been directed to go to the offices unofficially and interact with the people who have come for various purposes and draw a conclusion about the officials.
Also, the lifestyle, financial status, acquaintances and meetings of officials, who are suspected to be accepting bribes, should be looked into.
The Vigilance Superintendent of Police has to also ensure the help of the Special Branch of the police for monitoring. The officials, suspected to be taking bribes, should be monitored for at least three months. Honest officials should also be monitored and the measures they have implemented at the offices should be reported, as per the directive to the Vigilance SPs.
At least 18 officials were caught in bribery cases in 2018; 17 in 2019; 24 in 2020 and 30 in 2021. In the first four months of this year itself, 18 were arrested for bribery.
As they are aware of the 'trap' set by the Vigilance, the corrupt officials have started adopting new methods for taking bribes. The Vigilance has been directed to be wary of these as well.
Rejig in Vigilance too
All officers, who have been working with the Vigilance for over five years, would be shifted to other sections in the police. With that, the Vigilance would also have new faces.
The rejig is based on the assessment that if Vigilance is strengthened, then other departments would also be cleansed. Another reason for the reshuffle is that in certain districts, even the Vigilance inspections are also not being properly conducted.