THE Anti-Corruption Commission has voiced concern that police involvement in the investigation of money laundering cases, as proposed by the Home Ministry, might lead to harassment of the common citizens. The ACC made its position clear on Wednesday in response to the Home Ministry’s suggestion to involve the police in such investigations through an amendment to the Money Laundering Act 2012, as per reports of a local daily.
The ACC observed that the proposed amendment would put police on a parallel footing with the ACC investigators. The police and other investigation agencies cannot act in parallel with the ACC if the independence of this quasi-judicial institution were to be maintained, argued ACC. Accordingly, ACC made it known to the Bank and Financial Institutions Division, Ministry of Finance, on Wednesday to record their decent on the matter. It noted that such proposal was contrary to the independence of the ACC.
At present, the court takes cognizance of such cases filed by the ACC after investigation and there was no scope for parallel investigation by any other agencies as filing more than one case against a suspect by separate agencies and if that is allowed it would create legal complexities. ACC takes up cases after carrying out preliminary enquiries whereas the proposed amendment would give scope to file cases without any enquiry, which would pave the way for harassment of a suspect, mostly the ordinary citizens.
The ACC ensures protection of public servants from harassment or injustice as it verifies and inquires an allegation before lodging a first information report. But in case of engaging the police, there will be no chance of inquiry as the police will directly file a case, investigate it, submit charge sheet without ACC’s sanction and arrest the suspect, creating scope for harassment of public servants. But why ACC would single out the cases of public servants only when they are protected from harassment and enjoy special status or protection even now. Knowing that the bureaucrats would not be touched by the police would give them even greater scope to indulge in corruption, as they would feel that they are virtually untouchable and enjoy impunity of a sort.
The ACC is unfortunately still a paper tiger for the influential ones. The public perception is that the ACC works entirely at the whims of the government. It has filed 254 cases since 2009. The ACC was not conceived to be judged by how many corruption cases, it has filed. Independent ACC ought to have moved against the powerful corrupt ones who try to remain above the law. It has been awarded power to deal with puny crimes like the offence of cheating. The ACC then did not object to this wider power. There is corruption among some ACC officials. The purpose of independent commission should carefully be followed in the interest of its own necessity.
We agree that money laundering cases require high level enquiry and it will be difficult for the police. The main responsibilities of the police should be to protect the people from crimes and provide safety to life and property of the general public. Let police remain busy with their job of making life and property of people safe. Our police are more busy for protecting the VIPs.
