New Delhi: The Central Information
Commission has directed the Environment Ministry to make
public documents related to the alleged harassment of an IFS
officer by senior Haryana government officials, for exposing
several graft cases in the state.
Hearing the petition of a journalist Sumant Bhattacharya,
the transparency panel directed the ministry to make public
its communication with the Central Vigilance Commission on the
issue of alleged harassment of IFS officer Sajiv Chaturvedi.
The panel also ordered the ministry to give details of
action taken against the persons found guilty of corruption in
the enquiry, regarding financial irregularities in centrally
sponsored NAEB/JICA schemes; violation of wildlife laws and
orders of Supreme Court; fabrication in the charge sheet of
Sanjiv Chaturvedi and his illegal suspension.
Chaturvedi had exposed several cases of graft in the
management of forest and wildlife in Haryana. He brought out
alleged cases of misappropriation of funds, construction of a
canal through wildlife sanctuary and diversion of public funds
for private purposes among other.
Due to his persistent efforts in exposing corruption,
Chaturvedi was transferred 11 times in four years of his
service. But he continued to use the Right to Information to
bring out graft details and violations of statutory provisions
in the management of forests in Haryana.
Former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh had constituted
a two-member committee to probe the alleged harassment.
PTI
First Published: Monday, August 22, 2011, 18:09