New Delhi: The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), in its annual report, has said that it has received the highest number of corruption complaints relating to officers and employees of the Union ministry for home affairs (MHA) in 2022.The report said that it had received a total of 1,15,203 complaints till December 31, 2022, across all departments.Of these 85,437 complaints had been disposed, 29,766 were pending, and 22,034 were pending for more than three months.The highest number of complaints related to MHA (46,643), followed by the Railways (10,580) and Banks (8,129).The CVC is the apex agency overseeing and supervising the vigilance administration of the organisations owned or controlled by the Union government and covered under the advisory jurisdiction of the Commission.It is meant to tackle corruption and make the administrative system transparent and objective.Highest corruption complaints in MHA, Railways, and BankingThe report said that of the 46,643 complaints received against officers and employees of the MHA, 23,919 were disposed of; 22,724 were pending and 19,198 were pending for more than three months.The report said that of the 10,580 complaints it had received relating to Railways, 9,663 were disposed of, 917 were pending and nine were pending for over three months.Of the 8,129 complaints against employees and officers of Banks, 7,762 were disposed of, 367 were pending and 78 were pending for more than three months.The report also said that there were 7,370 complaints against employees of the Government of National Capital Territory Delhi.Of these, 6,804 were disposed of and 566 were pending, including 18 for more than three months.Deviations from the Commission’s adviceThe report said that there were 27 cases of deviation from the Commission’s advice across 16 departments in 2022.This included-Ministry of Railways (7), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (1), V.O Chidambaranar Port Authority (1), State Bank of India (2), New India Assurance Company Ltd (1), Industrial Development Bank of India (1), Small Industries Development Bank of India (1), Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (1), Ministry of Coal (2), Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (2), Bird Group of Companies (1), Ministry of Textiles (1), NBCC (India) Ltd (3), Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (1), Delhi Jal Board (1), and Delhi Transco Ltd (1).“Whenever the Ministry/Department proposes to differ from or not to accept any advice of the Commission, a procedure has been laid down in terms of the Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms, which prescribes that in those cases of officers for whom the Appointing Authority is the President, (orders are required to be issued in the name of the President), a reference is to be made to the Department of Personnel & Training (DOPT) before the Ministry/Department finally decides such cases,” the report said.“Non-acceptance of the Commission’s advice vitiates the vigilance process and weakens the impartiality of the vigilance administration. However, there are cases of deviation from a prescribed procedure or non-acceptance of the Commission’s advice,” it added.Some major instances of deviation cases from the CVC’s advice are:Ministry of Railways: While working as chief workshop manager (CWM), an officer was found responsible for committing gross misconduct by introducing the then (senior section engineer (SSE)) as his friend to the supplier and demanding a bribe of Rs 25,000 through the then SSE for passing the supplier’s bill.While the CVC had advised imposition of a major penalty in the case, the Railway Board decided to exonerate him which the commission called a “major deviation” from its advice.In another instance, another senior section engineer was found responsible for processing payment on the basis of a fake inspection certificate. The officer was also exonerated in a deviation from the CVC’s advice.In another instance, a senior divisional engineer failed to investigate complaints received from an additional divisional railway manager (ADRM) and failed to exercise due diligence in the scrutiny of credential documents of a firm. This resulted in award of contract to a firm on fake/forged credential papers. While the Commission adviced major penalty, only a minor penalty was imposed by the Railway Board.Delhi Jal Board: Irregularities were found in the tendering process for the award of work of construction of 50-kilo litres per day sewage treatment plant (STP) and other associated works on a Design-Build Operate basis at Raj Niwas.While the Commission had advised imposing a major penalty, the Disciplinary Authority exonerated the official.Ministry of Textile: An assistant professor at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Bhubaneshwar was found responsible for gross violation in tender evaluation and for proposing to release part payment directly to the individual and not to the firm, in violation of the work order.While a major penalty was imposed by the Disciplinary Authority, the Appellate Authority later exonerated the official.Ministry of Coal: Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL) awarded contracts for hiring Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM) for the removal of overburden, extraction, and removal of coal from Mohanpur, OCP patch of Salanpur Area and Jambad Open Cast Project (OCP) Kajora Area. The contracts were foreclosed and were awarded at higher rates in retendering.The report said that two officers were exonerated in a major deviation from its advice.Major, minor penalties and exonerationsThe report said on the basis of annual reports of chief vigilance officers (CVOs) of organisations – major penalty proceedings were initiated in 6,501 cases for all categories of officers dealt with by the CVO. This resulted in the imposition of major penalties in 5,298 cases and minor penalties or warnings in 552 cases. 651 cases resulted in exoneration.Minor penalty proceedings were initiated in 13,661 cases in which minor penalties or warnings were issued in 11,751 cases and 3,752 cases were exonerated.During 2022, the report said that of the total 1,849 departmental inquiries under process, 880 were completed and 969 were pending.The report said that some of the major organisations that took disciplinary action against officials conducting misconduct including penalties and administrative action include the State Bank of India (346), Ministry of Railways (142), Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (88), Employees Provident Fund Organisation (85), Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (79), Union Bank of India (68), Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (64).