Even as there is a huge public outcry over various scams involving the government, it appears that the ministries or departments concerned are least bothered to curb corruption. Nearly 400 applications of the CBI seeking sanction for prosecution against government officials are pending with different central as well as state govt departments for the last several years.
The Indian Revenue Services (IRS) officials top the CBI’s list of corrupt bureaucrats. In a one-year period from October 2009 to October 2010, the CBI has sought sanction for prosecution against at least 52 IRS officials posted in different parts of the country in connection with the corruption cases.
The officials of the Indian Railways follow second with the CBI seeking sanction for prosecution against 33 of its officials. With sanction for prosecution requests pending against at least 31 of its officials, the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and telecom ministry come a close third.
Sources further revealed that the agency sought prosecution sanction against nine customs officials on a single day on June 29, 2009. Recently, on May 31, 2010, the CBI moved a request of prosecution sanction against 31 senior officials of the customs and central excise departments. All of them are posted in Ludhiana and prosecution sanction against them are pending with the concerned authority for the last five months, sources said. All requests against 52 IRS officials are pending with the department concerned and the agency is waiting for the approval, sources added.
As far as the Indian Railways officials are concerned, the CBI sought prosecution sanction against three senior officials of the ministry on November 30, 2009, sources said. These officials were posted at Palakkad in Southern Railway, Chennai. Besides, CBI sought prosecution sanction against four more officials of the Railways on March 31, 2010.