New Delhi: Newly appointed Central Vigilance
Commissioner Pradeep Kumar on Thursday asserted that there will be
no compromise in fighting corruption and warned people to
refrain from "witch hunt" to settle personal scores.
Terming corruption as a disease which is affecting people
and nation, Kumar said "Corruption is not a monopoly either of
higher echelon or lower echelon. Wherever corruption is there,
it has to be dealt strictly and persistently.
"The only caveat I put it in our pursuit to punish
corrupt is that we do not want to create an environment where
settling of personal scores takes place, where witch hunt
takes place. We want to create an environment where honest
people are able to work fearlessly," he said.
62-year-old Kumar, former defence secretary,who took over
as CVC today, declined to comment on his predecessor P J
Thomas, whose appointment was quashed by the Supreme Court
citing pending charge sheet in a corruption case against him
in Kerala.
Thomas wanted that his appeal pending with the President
Pratibha Patil be decided first before Kumar could assume
charge but his plea for urgent hearing in this regard was
refused today by the Delhi High Court.
Kumar's appointment was cleared by a high level panel
comprising Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P
Chidambaram and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma
Swaraj on July 2.
A 1972 batch Haryana cadre IAS officer, Kumar was today
administered oath of office by the President.
"Corruption is a kind of disease which is affecting
people and the country. We cannot and will not compromise in
the fight against corruption. We will try to develop a system
where corrupt have no place to hide," the CVC said.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, July 14, 2011, 17:06