DNA: Nashik: Monday, May 08, 2017.
In an unusual
case, alleged denial of information to an RTI applicant was used as leverage by
an official of the state information commission's Nashik bench to demand a
bribe from a school principal. The Maharashtra Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) on
Saturday arrested an assistant desk officer of the state information commission
(Nashik bench) for allegedly accepting a bribe from the principal.
Ravindra
Sonar, 34, who is also an administrative desk officer in the commission, was
allegedly caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 from the
complainant principal.
"The
desk officer first called the complainant who is a principal of Lion's Nutan
Vidya Mandir, Dhule saying that she is being fined Rs 25,000 for not providing
information sought under an RTI application. The complainant said that she had
provided all the information. However, Sonar insisted that the information was
not given, and threatened to fine her for Rs 25,000, when he did not even have
the power to penalise," said Sunil Gamurde, deputy superintendent of
police, ACB, Dhule.
Gamurde
added, "He then sought for a bribe on May 4 and asked her or someone she
knew to meet him. Her husband met Sonawane, to whom he said that Rs 15,000 had
to be paid to him to escape the penalty under RTI," said Gamurde.
As per RTI
Act, public information officers can be fined a maximum amount of Rs 25,000 if
they fail to provide information or give misleading information. The fine,
however, can be levied only by a state information commissioner.
"He
(Sonar) then settled for Rs 10,000. The complainant approached us and informed
us about this. We spoke to our seniors and a trap was laid on the ground floor
near the entrance of the building that houses the state information commission.
He was taken into custody at around 11 am when we caught him red-handed while
taking the money from the complainant, and he was arrested by 7 pm. He will now
be produced before a special ACB court," added Gamurde.
"There
have always been rumours that such things have been taking place at the
information commission. It is good that someone showed courage and a person was
caught. In a number of cases, people are not able to come forward. In such
cases, the investigation should be done right till the commissioner level. How
can a desk officer say that the commissioner will not fine anyone. If in any
department, a person is caught, his senior officers are also in the the realm
of inquiry. The police should investigate the matter thoroughly," said RTI
activist Vijay Kumbhar.
"If the
machinery set up to ensure transparency itself has cases of corruption, how
will things move ahead? Part of this is because they have not been showing
transparency in appointment of commissioners, and have appointed those who have
had allegations of misconduct on them in the past," Kumbhar added.
K L Bishnoi,
state information commissioner of Nashik bench said, "Once the ACB report
is received, action will be taken on the officer. There is no point in
supporting such people."
On demands of
an inquiry right up to the commissioner level, Bishnoi said, "There may be
people who want to doubt, but the order in this case was given as early as
April 19, and the complainant was not fined because she had provided the
information sought. It may be that she may not have received the order copy.
All orders are given in open court, notes are taken the very moment, and orders
are printed."
"We
strongly protest what happened. Basically,. administration at the commission
benches needs to be tightened. Secretaries do not sit in their offices, and
there is no follow-up of commission orders. If there was no penalty levied, and
he was still demanding money, then it indicates alteration of order. If the
commission is not able to check compliance of fines imposed, then they should
appoint NGOs to do the same," said Bhaskar Prabhu, another RTI actvist.
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