Still a long way to go !

Times of India ( 26 Aug 2016 ) carries following news report :

"  CVC  TELLS  CBI  TO  SHARE  DETAILS  OF  BIG-TICKET  FRAUDS  WITH  ED  "

NEW DELHI :

" The Central Bureau of Investigation has been asked by the CVC to share details on big ticket frauds with the Enforcement Directorate so that the provisions of anti-money laundering Act can be invoked at the stage of investigation itself. 

The decision comes as there have been cases of corporate frauds involving crores of rupees. 

The CVC has asked CBI to share relevant details on big ticket frauds with the ED so that provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act can be invoked at the stage of investigation itself, officials said today.

They said it will help in taking stringent action against the fraudsters during the investigation stage itself.

There has been cases where ED is roped in at later stage by the CBI and at times, it results in losing out crucial leads and also cause delay in punishing the accused or trace money laundered by them, the sources said, adding that the CBI has started sharing relevant details with the ED. 

In a related development, the CBI has also been made the nodal authority for public sector banks to report high value frauds worth over Rs 50 crore. 

A Joint Director level officer has been authorized in the CBI to receive complaints of the frauds from the banks. After receiving such reports, the officer can recommend investigation by any of the agency's wings ( Anti Corruption, Economic Offences or Bank Security and Fraud Cell ).

The Chief Vigilance Officers, who act as distant arm of Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to check corruption, of banks have been asked to act as nodal officers to coordinate in reporting such cases to the CBI. 

A total of 171 bank fraud cases involving funds of over Rs 20,000 crore were probed by the CBI last year. "

There is no doubt , this type of co-ordination between different Agencies of the Government dealing with Economic Fraud  will help , but what will bring about a complete SEA CHANGE in the process of quickly catching the culprits , will only happen when my following suggestion ( sent as hard-copy to  PMO on 06 Nov 2014 ) , gets implemented :

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E - Governance ?

Can e-Governance help eliminate corruption  ?

Most certainly

Look at the following , partial list of  Central and State Agencies  set up to fight fraud , money-laundering , corruption , tax-evasion , economic crimes etc :

*  Public Accounts Committee           (  PAC  )

*  Central Vigilance Commission        (  CVC  )

*  Central Information Commission     (  CIC  )

*  Research and Analysis Wing           (  RAW  )

*  Serious Fraud Investigation Office   (  SFIO  )

*  Information Bureau                        (  IB   )

*  Economic Offence Wing                   (  EOW  )

*  Central Bureau of Investigation        (  CBI  )

*  Department of Revenue Intelligence (  DRI  )

*  Comptroller and Auditor General       (  CAG  )

*  Anti Corruption Bureaus ( States ).... (  ACB  )

*  Enforcement Directorate                    (  ED   )

*  Lok  Ayukts    (  States   )

*  Lok Pal           ( Central  )

Despite such an army of Agencies , how do corrupt manage to get away  ?

Or , in case caught , manage to delay delivery of punishment for years  ?

No doubt , there must be several reasons , including , inter - agency rivalry to get credit - something difficult to eliminate altogether

But , I believe , the most important reason is :

Lack of a COMMON  / COMPUTERIZED  database of all offences / cases / persons being investigated

And , which is readily " Accessible " to all of these Agencies , all over the country ( 24 * 365 )

Already , every Agency compiles huge dossiers on " Suspects " in its own 

" Departmental Database " , which is never shared with other Agencies ,

leading to ,

*   Huge amount of duplication of efforts / information

*   Fractured / scattered profiles of " Suspects "

*   Enormous waste of time / resources

What will help  ?

*  Dismantling of individual departmental databases

*  Merging of all Agency-wise databases into a SINGLE / UNIQUE database

*  All Agencies to enter their findings / data / info into this COMMON

     database , with nothing preserved on local computers

*  All data-entry FORMS to be ONLINE . No paper forms at all

*  All local computers connected to ultra-secure Network ( Encrypted )

*  " Access Rights " to individuals , based on Biometric Identification

I believe , not only such an " INTEGRATION  OF  DATABASES " is highly desirable , it is also ENTIRELY POSSIBLE , if there is a POLITICAL WILL

And I don't think , this will require passing of any law in the Parliament

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26  Aug  2016

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs