Probe corruption complaints properly: CVC to banks

Noting irregularities, the CVC has asked banks to follow proper procedure in probing corruption complaints received by them.
"It has come to the notice of the Commission that in some banks, senior bank executives and CMDs as disciplinary authorities are treating cases or matters in which vigilance angle is perceived as 'non-vigilance' without following the due consultative process," the CVC said in a directive issued to all public sector banks.
All banks are supposed to set up an Internal Advisory Committee(IAC) to scrutinise the complaints received by them and also the cases arising out of inspections and audit etc. and determine the vigilance angle.

The CVC said some of the banks were not following the IAC mechanism and thereby not referring cases or matters to the Commission for its advice.
"All CMDs and Chief Vigilance Officers are therefore advised to sensitise the senior executives and disciplinary authorities on various aspects of vigilance administration to ensure that all such matters are duly considered by the IAC set up in the respective banks," the probity watchdog said.
A total of 7,365 complaints were received against banks employees for their alleged involvement in corruption during the last year.
The CVC has recommended imposition of penalty against 88 banks employees for their alleged involvement in graft during last month.

These include 20 officials of Punjab National Bank, 11 of Allahabad Bank, ten of Punjab and Sind Bank, eight from Central Bank of India, seven of Bank of Maharashtra and six in Bank of India, among others, according to the Commission's monthly performance report.