Demand of bribe is breach of trust of state, says Madras HC

Chennai: “Corruption is said to become order of the day and the people seems to have been driven to the level of accepting it as normal. Corruption erodes and corrodes our administration. Demand of bribe itself is breach of trust of the State,” said Justice N. Kirubakaran of Madras High Court and posed 15 queries to be answered by the authorities concerned including the Inspector General of Registration, the Vigilance Commissioner and the State Home Secretary.

The judge said this court by an order dated November 20 raised about 12 queries to be answered by the authorities concerned. A response has been filed on behalf of them. However, a perusal of the same would reveal that only 77 cases have been registered for the past 10 years against officials of Registration department and most of them ended in acquittal. Further, no details about the date of raid, number of persons arrested, the case number of the criminal cases registered and date of acquittal/conviction and appeal, if any pending before the court have been given.

These are all the material details, which the officials are expected to file before this court, especially when this court had raised queries. However, the details given by the authorities are very vague, the judge said and posed the further 15 queries.

15 queries raised

1 Whether the state could bring out a separate preventive detention Act to detain “corrupt elements/officials/ public servants” who are indulging in corruption?,

2 Why not the state government bring an amendment to "Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Cyber Law Offenders, Drug Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, Forest Offenders, Sand Offenders, Sexual Offenders, Slum Grabbers Act and Video Pirates Act" to include "Public servants taking gratification in the Act?.

3 Till the new Act is enacted, why not the state government invoke Goondas Act to detain corrupt officials/public servants on the ground that their corrupt acts affect adversely or likely to affect adversely the maintenance of public order?.

4 How many raids have been conducted by the DVAC throughout the state in all the departments including Registration offices, for the past 10 years?.

5 How many persons have been booked and arrested for the past 10 years?.

6 How much amount has been seized by DVAC, while conducting raids for the past 10 years?.

7 How many criminal cases have been filed each year by DVAC for the past 10 years?.

8 What is the rate of conviction in corruption cases in the state for the past 10 years?.
9 In how many cases, conviction has been secured for the past 10 years?.
10 Which are all the top 5 government departments where corruption is more as per DVAC data?.
11What are all the problems faced by DVAC during raid, investigation and prosecuting the case before the court?.

12 Whether man power available with DVAC is sufficient to execute their works and if it is not, what is the requirement?.

13 Whether sufficient amount is allotted to DVAC department, in view of reporting of more number of corruption cases?.

14 Whether DVAC is making use of advanced scientific gadgets/instruments to nab the corrupt elements, while conducting raids?.

15 How many public servants have been booked on the charges of corruption or demanding bribe on more than one occasion, for the past 10 years?