New Delhi: The government on Tuesday said it was
"constantly exploring" ways to ban and punish foreign
officials involved in corrupt practices in India by becoming a
party to global Anti Bribery Convention.
"We have taken the first step of introducing a bill for
criminalising foreign bribery which is under consideration of
the Legislature and are constantly exploring the way forward
to the ultimate objective of being a party to the Anti Bribery
Convention of Organisation of Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD)," Minister of State for Personnel V
Narayanasamy said.
Foreign bribery is not covered under any domestic
anti-corruption laws at present.
The OECD Anti-Bribery Convention establishes legally
binding standards to criminalise bribery of foreign public
officials in international business transactions and provides
for a host of related measures that make this effective. It is
the first and only international anti-corruption instrument
focused on the 'supply side' of the bribery transaction.
"The business particularly in the international arena has
become highly competitive. The temptations in such situations
pose a serious threat to competition and fair play in
business...," Narayanasamy told participants of steering group
meeting of the Asian Development Bank/OECD.
The steering group would be strategising the work plan
for the next three years and would also identify specific
actions for 2011-12.
President Pratibha Patil will inaugurate tomorrow the
two-day seventh Regional Anti-corruption Conference of
ADB/OECD.
"India's economy is an emerging economy and with
increasingly significant integration with the global economy,
its businessmen may get exposed to the potential threats of
the consequences of global corruption.
"In this background the discussion on the thematic review
report on Corporate Compliance, Internal Controls, Ethics and
Tax Deductibility of Bribes would facilitate the policy makers
and practitioners from member Governments in their
approaches," the Minister said.
The conference will be attended by the 28 member
countries and economies of the ADB/OECD Anti-Corruption
Initiative for Asia and the Pacific and deliberate on finding
a multi-disciplinary solution to the multifaceted problem of
corruption.
Besides, other matters including strengthening of
framework for international cooperation in carrying out
investigations abroad and ways to check graft in public
sector will be discussed during the meeting being organised
for the first time in the country.
Central Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar and CBI
Director A P Singh among others will also share their views on
various aspects to check corruption and strengthen
investigations.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, September 27, 2011, 22:18