September 3, 2025

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has raised a red flag! In its latest 2024 annual report, it pointed out 23 cases where government departments played fast and loose with its advice on corruption probes. The advice was either ignored or watered down, showing cracks in the system meant to catch wrongdoers. Guess who’s the biggest defaulter? The Ministry of Railways—with five cases of not following the CVC's strong warnings. Other major culprits include the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), and Energy Efficiency Service Limited (EESL), each with two cases. Then there are single cases flagged against Deendayal Port Authority, BSNL, Airport Authority of India, IDBI Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Cotton Corporation of India, Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Ltd, Central Coalfields Limited, Border Roads Organisation, Prasar Bharati, and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya. The CVC, India’s top corruption watchdog, supervises vigilance across various government bodies. It offers advice based on a careful study of facts and documents in each case. “Acceptance of the Commission's reasoned advice in an overwhelming majority of cases by the disciplinary authorities is an indication of the objectivity and fairness of the Commission's advice,” says the report proudly. But in some cases, this advice was either ignored or diluted without getting the Commission’s okay—a big no-no that spoils the whole vigilance process. The report warns that such actions weaken the fairness and power of the vigilance system. Take Railways for an example. In New Jalpaiguri’s sub-divisional hospital, a hospital attendant was caught taking a bribe to give an ECG test to a Railway Recruitment Board candidate. The CVC advised strict action, but shockingly, the charges were dropped without even asking the Commission for a second opinion. That’s a clear break from proper procedure. Another spicy case comes from BSNL where a firm submitted a fake Bank Guarantee (BG). The CVC said to punish the Joint General Manager involved. The disciplinary authority did act, but then the appellate authority cleared the officer of all charges! The CVC calls this a “deviation from the Commission's advice.” In short, while most authorities respect the CVC’s guidance, these 23 highlighted cases show that not everyone is playing by the rules. The watchdog’s message is clear: Diluting or ignoring vigilance advice harms the fight against corruption and undermines justice. Can the government clean up this mess before trust breaks down completely? Only time will tell!

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Tags: Central vigilance commission, Corruption cases, Government departments, Non-compliance, Ministry of railways, Disciplinary actions,