New gadgets will improve conviction rate: ACB DG R P Thakur
R.P. Thakur said that the department is gearing up to use technology in a big way to ensure conviction of corrupt officials.
Nellore: Anti Corruption Bureau Director General R.P. Thakur said that the department is gearing up to use technology in a big way to ensure conviction of corrupt officials booked by the department. The department is going acquire most sophisticated gadgets such as hidden cameras and video recording devices to record entire process of investigation to build evidence against those trapped or booked by ACB under disproportionate assets cases.
Speaking to this newspaper after inspecting ACB office in Nellore on Thursday, the DG said the accused are acquitted only in 30 per cent of the cases and the guilty are suitably punished in 70 per cent of the cases while stressing that the percentage is equal to the success rate of CBI. Emphasising the need to eradicate corruption in the government sector, he said happiness factor of the people is directly linked to corruption-free environment and this is also the key for the development of the new AP state.
Responding to a question on lack of skilled manpower in ACB to deal with financial matters and accounts especially while dealing with disproportionate assets cases, he said they will hire the services of experts in such matters to assist ACB sleuths at district level similar to their headquarters in Vijayawada. Expressing satisfaction over progress of under investigation cases in Nellore region, he hinted about speeding up the investigation into disproportionate assets case of ZP CEO B. Rami Reddy.
To a question, he said their duty is to send a report to the government on the officials caught by ACB but their future postings and other issues are left to the discretion of a government committee. The DG inspected the site earmarked to construct a building for ACB at Nellore. He said ACB intends to construct own buildings in every district and the newly constructed buildings are ready for occupation at Tirupati and Eluru. Rayalaseema Region ACB Joint Director T. Damodaram, Nellore ACB DSP Thota Prabhakar and CI Sivakumar Reddy were present with Mr Thakur.