ACC has become another body for corruption and harassment

ANTI-CORRUPTION Commission (ACC) mandated to fight corruption within the government has apparently become den of corruption and manifold irregularities of its officials as per a news report in a national daily on Monday. It cited quite a big list of corruption cases involving ACC officials quoting a recent internal probe reports to make the point that it should work hard to win people’s confidence. In our view the disclosure has come at the right time to clean the agency first from within before making more people victim of harassment of some ACC officials on framed up charges and witch-hunting by demanding to provide information about one’s wealth without knowing first through their own enquiry if there is any real allegation needing further clarification.

The anti-graft agency has so far totally failed to live up to people’s expectations when involvement of more ACC officials in high corruption and irregularities are coming to light to the dismay of the nation. It appears that the agency’s internal monitoring cell’s initially found evidence of irregularities against five officers and eight employees that includes three deputy directors, two assistant directors, two assistant inspectors and three constables. The enquiry also identified a data entry operator, a peon and a security guard who used their presence in the commission to make illegal money misusing their power and position. The evidence shows these officials took bribes; deleted names of person accused of corruption from probe reports, lobbied to stop transfers in government offices in exchange of money and other unlawful activities.

It is no secret that some ACC officials are widely engaged in corruption and the reports proved people’s allegations were correct. It raises questions why they kept their own corruption secret so long when many officials were put on forced retirement for involvement in crimes instead of being charged. It is a disgrace that in 2014, ACC sent a deputy director on retirement for taking bribe from a graft suspect. Another deputy director hired an outsider to stop his transfer outside the capital last year. From 2004 to 2014, departmental actions were taken against 28 personnel for taking bribe and committing other irregularities. It also suspended 13 employees while 15 others were given varying punishments. The list appears to be hefty to make many to wonder how indiscipline officials destroyed the commission from within and top functionaries of the commission, appointed on political consideration were unable to run it properly.

In anyway we cannot blame only the ACC officials for indulging in corruption. We have failed to secure accountability of the government itself. It is no wonder that ACC wants more power of arresting people and maintaining jails under their control. We have people who think it is easy to misrepresent themselves as police and RAB officials for doing crimes and making money. The people are helpless and so they must suffer injustices.

We do not want another body for spreading corruption. ACC is not a force of stopping corruption.