| SVO spares sharks, catches small fishes to prove its 'efficiency' | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, July 24: The State Vigilance Organization (SVO) during past many years has filed cases against the "small fishes" and has stayed away from laying hands on the "big sharks."
An analyst while talking to Early Times said, "The SVO has played a substantial role in bringing to the corrupt to book in the state as per the mandate given to it, yet it has failed to nail the officials who are well connected and enjoy the patronage of the big people."
A source said that SVO has chosen to sleep over hundreds of cases against influential police officers bureaucrats and technocrats of the state who have been involved in accumulation of huge wealth in the form of land, most of which is illegally acquired. Many such government officers enjoy close proximity to the politicians.
"I remember that SVO once arrested a meter reader in a trap case accepting Rs. 2000/- from a house owner to get him a new connection, while same day, it raided the house of a technocrat on complaints of disproportionate assets, but several years since then, the 'investigation' has not been completed" said a former police officer, taking a dig at the working of the SVO.
A source said that besides government officers, cases against many politicians are also pending in the SVO, but the anti graft body has shelved these cases in the cold storage. "When PDP-BJP coalition came into power in 2015 it gave all the powers to the anti-graft bodies following which these agencies prepared a list of the officials, who had acquired benami properties and had accumulated wealth disproportionate to their sources of income," said an official.
He said that these officials used their influence to get the entire process sabotaged. "The Governor's administration needs to look into the investigations which were carried out in 2015," the official added.
"It's unfortunate that SVO delays cases on one or other pretext. This has dented the reputation and integrity of the SVO" said a whistle blower. "I registered a case in the SVO against a political worker, but despite being a clear case, he has managed to tame the SVO officers and the case file has been biting dust for years" he added. |
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