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Corruption list worries Vittal a bit

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

There is a systematic campaign on against Central Vigilance Commissioner N Vittal. Or so he believes.

"I think one newspaper from New Delhi is leading it," Vittal told rediff.com when asked about the number of reports that have been appearing against him after he published a list of officers facing corruption charges on his Web site, http://www.cvc.nic.in.

So what does he plan to do? "I am going to have another look at the list and do what is in the best interests of the country and myself," he replies.

Clearly, the CVC is on the defensive. There was a furore among officers of the Indian Administrative Service and Indian Police Service when some leading national dailies carried detailed reports on the names being displayed on the CVC's Web site.

"We fully agree with him on some counts and feel that the names of corrupt officers should be displayed so that people know who is corrupt and who is not. But how do you decide? Mere filing of chargesheet against an officer does not mean he is corrupt," says a resident commissioner in Delhi.

"He might have been chargesheeted for ordering a firing at some place as district magistrate," he continues. "I think the CVC should display only the names of those who have been convicted."

Another officer, posted in the Union finance ministry as joint secretary, agrees. He says the CVC's move could prove counterproductive.

"Most politicians like to deal with corrupt hands," he holds. "Once they know who is corrupt they would walk up to him and get their work done. We know there are black sheep in our cadre and we all know who are corrupt. We have to evolve some kind of system to display the names of such officers on the CVC Web site."

The IAS and IPS officers' national associations are currently debating the matter. Some who figure in the list of 85 labelled corrupt feel that they should move court.

"How dare the CVC decide who is corrupt and who is not! He is supposed to keep an eye on corruption and the corrupt officer like the CBI does. He cannot print a list and hope to get away with it," an angry IPS officer, known for his underhand activities, says.

According to these officers, even the CVC's second in command, Vigilance Commissioner V S Mathur, does not approve of Vittal's move. They say Mathur took strong exception to the manner in which the names were selected and displayed.

Vittal admits that he receives a lot of hate mail. Bold though he is, the CVC seems to be buckling under pressure. He expresses his willingness to revise his list and display only the names of those who have been penalised. Beyond that, Vittal is not ready to compromise.

"Let us meet sometime next week," he says.

Does he have an ace up his sleeve? His admirers do not rule that out.

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