Tribune India: Chandigarh: Thursday, 18 April 2024.
The Chief Information
Commissioner (CIC), Haryana, Vijai Vardhan, has ordered the Under Secretary,
Vigilance Department, in the office of Chief Secretary, to provide information
to IAS officer D Suresh related to two inquiries against him and approval granted
under Section 17 A of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Probe illegal, claims IAS officer
The IAS officer has contended that all three ACB inquiries against him were “illegal” as mandatory permission under Section 17 A was not taken.
The order, dated April 15, said: “According to the principles of natural justice, the appellant (IAS officer D Suresh) has every right to obtain the solicited information relating to approvals of inquiry No. 13, 14 and approval granted u/s 17 A of the PC Act, 1988, so as to defend himself”. It added, “The Commission further observes that Section 8(1)(j) and 8(1)(h) of the RTI Act, 2005, enables and empowers the appellant (IAS officer D Suresh) to obtain the solicited information as it relates to him specifically and not to any ‘third party’.”
Vide his RTI application, dated August 10, 2023, D Suresh had sought information “relating to noting sheets, orders, approvals relating to inquiries no. 12, 13 and 14 and 17 A approvals”. As inquiries no. 13 and 14 conducted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) are under the consideration of the government, Jitender Singla, SPIO-cum-Under Secretary, Vigilance Department, told the CIC that the solicited information was denied u/s 8(1)(h) of the RTI Act, 2005.
Probe illegal, claims IAS officer
The IAS officer has contended that all three ACB inquiries against him were “illegal” as mandatory permission under Section 17 A was not taken.
The order, dated April 15, said: “According to the principles of natural justice, the appellant (IAS officer D Suresh) has every right to obtain the solicited information relating to approvals of inquiry No. 13, 14 and approval granted u/s 17 A of the PC Act, 1988, so as to defend himself”. It added, “The Commission further observes that Section 8(1)(j) and 8(1)(h) of the RTI Act, 2005, enables and empowers the appellant (IAS officer D Suresh) to obtain the solicited information as it relates to him specifically and not to any ‘third party’.”
Vide his RTI application, dated August 10, 2023, D Suresh had sought information “relating to noting sheets, orders, approvals relating to inquiries no. 12, 13 and 14 and 17 A approvals”. As inquiries no. 13 and 14 conducted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) are under the consideration of the government, Jitender Singla, SPIO-cum-Under Secretary, Vigilance Department, told the CIC that the solicited information was denied u/s 8(1)(h) of the RTI Act, 2005.
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