CBI feud vitiated work environment of agency: Government
New Delhi, Oct 24: The government Wednesday claimed that ousted CBI Director Alok Verma was not cooperating with the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and defended its decision to send him on leave, saying that an "extra-ordinary and unprecedented" situation had arisen due to "grave allegations of corruption" against senior functionaries of the agency.
The environment of faction feud in the CBI has reached its peak, leading to a potential loss of its credibility and reputation of the premier investigating agency besides vitiating the work environment of the organization which has deep and visible impact on the overall governance.
In a long statement, the government said the CVC, on receipt of a complaint on August 24, 2018 containing various allegations against the senior functionaries of the CBI, has served three notices under Section 11 of the CVC Act, 2003 on September 11 on the CBI director to produce files and documents before the commission on September 14.
Various opportunities were given to produce such records and after several adjournments, the CBI assured the commission on September 24 of furnishing them within three weeks.
"Despite repeated assurances and reminders, the Director, CBI, failed to furnish the records/files before the commission. The CVC has observed that Director, CBI, has not been cooperating in making available records/files sought by the commission relating to serious allegations," the statement read.
The CVC has also observed that the CBI director has been non-cooperative, non-compliant with the requirements/directions and has created willful obstructions in the functioning of the commission which is a constitutional body.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
