Thiruvananthapuram sources have stated that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has reportedly taken a dim view of the functioning of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB). Earlier on Wednesday, Mr. Vijayan was huddled together with officers and legal advisers summoned from the agency’s units across the State till late into the night.
Meanwhile VACB Director Jacob Thomas reportedly had told the Chief Minister that a break-up in communication between the directorate and the office of the Director General of Prosecution in Kochi had caused the error. Mr. Vijayan did not “appear impressed” by his explanation. He openly “frowned upon” the “practice" of supervisory officers relegating complaints and inquiries to junior officers to shirk responsibility.
Mr. Vijayan wanted them to
critically examine complaints, inquiry reports and investigations and pen their
comments/observations on official files and issue written orders on all matters
so the processes were perceptible and transparent.
Mr. Vijayan further had said he would not brook any dilution of the Vigilance manual. Mr. Vijayan wanted to know why certain anti-corruption litigants appeared to have an “outsize” role in the agency and access to government files, a point raised by the High Court. The Chief Minister tasked Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Nalini Netto to file a detailed report.
