New Delhi, November 17
Stating that the anti-corruption machinery should aggressively pursue cases of high-level corruption, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today called for a comprehensive strategy to reduce the scope for corruption and an integrated approach to deal with it.

“The anti-corruption machinery in the country should create deterrence against corruption by aggressively pursuing cases of high-level corruption to their logical end. Rapid, fair and accurate investigation of allegations of corruption against public servants at all levels should remain a priority,” Dr Manmohan Singh said on the concluding day of the 16th biennial conference on anti-corruption organised by the CBI.

However, the Prime Minister said our system of investigation and punishment should not be oppressive and not become an alibi for people to avoid taking initiative in performing their duties.

While stressing on a comprehensive strategy to reduce the scope for corruption, he said “we must recognise the need for an integrated approach to deal with corruption. Agencies like yours cannot operate in isolation. You must have the resources to take a broader view of individual cases and be able to make a distinction between a “bona fide mistake” and deliberate “wrong-doing”, he said.

He called for elimination of all discretionary controls and minimise the scope for discretion in the controls and regulatory systems.

The Prime Minister said the justice delivery system had to be modernised and made more efficient and speedy. “Not only must the guilty be brought to book more speedily, but the innocent must be spared the trauma of delayed justice.

Dr Manmohan Singh called for reform of public-procurement systems, civil and defence, and effective utilisation of the Right to Information Act to combat corruption in public life.

Director of CBI Vijay Shanker called for fast-track disposal of trials of disproportionate assets, traps and other anti-corruption cases. “It is highly desirable that adequate number of special courts are set up to deal exclusively with anti-corruption cases. The Central Government is financing setting up of such courts in the states but much more needs to be done,” he said.

Stating that more than 6,000 anti-corruption cases are pending in courts, he said “judicial process is marred by long delays and poor conviction rates. We complete investigations in over 90 per cent of our cases within a year or two. But it takes the courts 10, 15 or even over 20 years to complete the trails.”