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Only 7% cases at Lokayukta related to graft

Maharashtra's corruption watchdog remains powerless even as over 5,000 complaints seeking justice pile up every year

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Once celebrated as India's first corruption watchdog, the Maharashtra Lokayukta has now been reduced to an office which sorts out grievances of government employees against their seniors and babus.

A whopping 93% of the complaints received by the Lokyaukta are "grievances" against the government officials related to arrears of pension, promotion, provident fund and salaries of government employees only.

Out of 5,860 cases registered at the Lokayukta during 2014, only 433 (7.38%) pertain to allegations of financial irregularities or bribery against public servants. Remaining 5,427 cases were complaints involving "grievance" against public servant, states a confidential annual report of the watchdog.

The 700-page report (viewed by dna) was submitted to the governor earlier this month by the Lokayukta Justice (retd) ML Tahiliyani.

The report reveals that there was just one case registered against a minister in 2014. Lokayukta officials refuse to give the name of the minister citing confidentiality clause. The report is yet to be tabled before the legislature.

Revenue and forest department leads the pack with the highest number of plaints (1,358) registered at Lokayukta. There are 379 cases pertaining to the home department. The parliamentary affairs department appeared to be least controversial with no cases against it in 2014. Breakup of graft cases could not be obtained immediately.

The year 2016 saw six graft cases against mayors, deputy mayors and standing committee chairmen of municipal corporations. While several cases now stand as disposed of by the Lokayukta office, the compliance by the government remains awaited in more than half cases. Reason: Their orders are not binding to the government.

Not surprising that most Lokayukta orders are either dumped or implemented in such a fashion that it doesn't affect the accused officials much. This virtually means that the hard work of 85 officials and clerical staff who work effortlessly to scrutinize and clear 5,000 plus cases goes down the drain. Eventually, Rs 5 crore annual expenditure of the ombudsman goes in drain

"The governments often ignore our recommendations to save the accused officials. Then they save the accused in the name of departmental inquiries which is deliberately delayed for years. In many cases either the person retires or passes away until the departmental inquiry finds him guilty or otherwise," said a Lokayukta official.

Stating that Lokayukta is mainly a decorative body in Maharashtra, RTI activist Anil Galgali says: "Most of the people in state don't know who the Lokayukta is. Those who know are well aware of the fact that it is a toothless body. It neither has power to investigate nor its recommendations are binding to the government. Besides, chief minister is also out of their purview."

Galgali says if the BJP claims to be a party with difference, it must make its Lokayukta at par with Karnataka. Even state's Lokayukta has been demanding the same for years but to no avail. Such is the apathy, that the short-staffed body's repeated requests for more recruitment since expansion of its jurisdiction to local bodies in 2011 has also been trashed down.

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