By IANS
Hyderabad : A former Andhra Pradesh vigilance commissioner’s allegations against the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) and Home Minister K. Jana Reddy of harbouring corrupt bureaucrats have raised a storm in the state with the opposition demanding a probe into the charges.
R.C. Samal, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) official who retired as vigilance commissioner a few days ago, alleged that the CMO was promoting and protecting officers who are indulging in corruption or criminal misconduct.
In his 56-page statement submitted to Chief Secretary J. Harinarayana and released to media late Friday, Samal named 18 IAS, Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFS) officials including a former director general of police saying they were looting public money.
Samal, who claims he did not get a free hand to book corrupt officials, said Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy was trying to protect unscrupulous officials.
He said the chief minister had ordered the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) not to make discreet inquiries about IAS officials without his approval. “The dismal performance of the ACB has reached its zenith and is virtually defunct,” he said.
Samal explained how the corruption had become an all-pervading phenomenon, especially in the CMO and departments like irrigation, panchayat raj, rural development, transport, agriculture, welfare and revenue.
Samal wanted to post names of the corrupt officers on the Vigilance Commission website but the government rejected his proposal and hence he decided to release his report soon after his retirement.
The government as well as many of the officials named in the statement Saturday denied the allegations.
Talking to reporters, Jana Reddy said his political record was clean and he had never faced a single corruption charge in his public life.
“There is no truth in his allegations. It is unbecoming of an IAS officer to make such allegations,” said Ratna Prabha, principal secretary, department of public enterprises.
The main opposition Telugu Desam party said Samal’s disclosures only vindicated its stand that the Congress government was corrupt.
“We have been saying this for last three years. From ministers to IAS and IPS officials, this government is neck-deep in corruption,” said TDP leader and former minister N. Janardhan Reddy.
Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) state secretary B.V. Raghavulu demanded that the government order an inquiry into Samal’s charges.