The Central Vigilance Commission is awaiting sanction from different departments for over four months to prosecute 45 government officials, including IAS and IPS officers, for their alleged involvement in corruption.
As per the norms, sanction for prosecution has to be decided within four months time.
Of the total of 22 graft cases involving these officials, a highest of eight are pending in Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, which acts as a nodal agency to coordinate with other departments to speed up sanction of prosecution.
Besides, two each such cases are pending in Ministry of Finance, Defence Ministry and Home Ministry and one each in Ministry of Coal, Health Ministry and Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, according to the latest CVC data updated till February this year.
One each case seeking sanction for prosecution of an official charged with corruption is pending in Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI), Syndicate Bank, United India Insurance Company Ltd, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and Ministry of Shipping, it said.
The CVC has already sent a reminder to the departments concerned citing a Supreme Court verdict on granting sanction for prosecution of government officials charged with corruption within a maximum of four months' time, an official said.
Citing the apex court's order, the CVC has said, "Time limit of three months for grant of sanction for prosecution must be strictly adhered to. However, additional time of one month may be allowed where consultation is required with the Attorney General or any other law officer in the AG's office."
A list carrying the name and designation of the officials allegedly involved in corruption cases has been put up on the CVC's website.
