Who
in State Govt. suppressed Lokpal Inquiry Report on Police
Officer Sanjib Marik Issues, Nobody knows in Govt.
Dept.
of Home, General Administration Dept.
and Governor’s house are in dark
about Lokpal Report
Dear
friends
1.
In 2007, few
Bihari Criminals involved in loot
of LIC office and subsequent
firing in Bhadrak were arrested
and put in jail. During that
time, Sri Sanjib Marik who was
Inspector General of police
had extended all supports and made
all necessary arrangements for meeting
of relatives
of Criminals with them in jail. it was alleged
that Sri Marik had misused his power
and position in Govt. which
is violation of All India Service Conduct Rules 1968. After this
issue was cropped in media, Chief Minister suspended
Sri Marik and ordered
for Inquiry by Lokpal, Odisha under the Odisha Lokpal and Lokayukta Act 1995.
2.
Lokpal registered
the case ( Case No. 403(R) /2007 ( Complaint against Sri Sanjib Marik, IPS, Director,
State police Academy of police, Odisha )
and conducted inquiry into
it. On 27.3.2008., the Lokapal submitted Inquiry Report to Hon’ble
Governor, Odisha. But the State Govt.
did not
take any action
against Sri Marik, nor made any
public disclosure of report. This Report was kept secret by the State
Govt.
3.
In 2015,
after Sri Sanjib Marik being appointed
as Director General of Police, on dated 5.10.15, I
submitted RTI Application to the PIO, Dept. of
Home, Govt. of Odisha seeking information about copy of Inquiry Report of Lokpal
on Sanjib Marik. The PIO denied
to provide the information citing that the said file is not
traceable and it comes under exempted category under section 15 of Lokpal
and Lokayukta Act. Then, on 18.12.15.,
I made first appeal to the First
Appellate Authority to hear the case and
direct the PIO to provide the information citing the reason that Odisha Lokpal and Lokayukta Act is obsolete ( As Odisha Lokayukta Act
was enacted in 2014 by repealing the Lokapal and Lokayukta Act). But the First Appellate Authority rejected the
first appeal petition upholding
the decision of the PIO. On 21.1.16., I
filed Second Appeal to
Odisha Soochana Commission to
hear the case and direct
the PIO to supply the information.
4.
In 2018, Sri Sunil Kumar Mishra, State Chief Information Commissioner started hearing the
Second
Appeal case No. 232/2016 and issued
notice to the PIO, Dept. of
Home in respect of
disclosure of information.
During hearing , the PIO
and First Appellate
Authority took similar
stand and made submission that the said
report could not be disclosed
under section 15 of Odisha Lokpal and Lokayukta Act which was repealed in 2014
with enactment of new Act
i.e., the Odisha Lokayukta Act, 2014.
Then on 8.5.19., the Chief
Information Commissioner asked
for copy of the
report. When Chief Information
Commissioner asked for the report, Ms. Monisha Banerjee, Deputy
Secretary , Dept. of Home made a written submission with enclosures of the
copy of the letter of Lokpal to Govenor,
Odisha on 1.6.19 that
the said report was
not available, as Lokpal
submitted their report
to Hon’ble Governor on 27.3.2008
5.
On 22.6.19., RTI was filed
to the PIO, office of Hon’ble Governor, Odisha seeking
copy of the report
submitted by Lokpal to the then
Governor in 2008. On 28.6.19., the
PIO forwarded RTI Application to
the PIO, office of GA and PG Department to provide
information. On 3.7.19., the PIO, dept. of GA & PG wrote a letter
to PIO, office of Governor,
Odisha that the said Report is not
available . He pointed out
that as it is
closely related to Governor’s office, it must
be available there
and submitted to the
applicant. On 10.9.19., the PIO, Dept. of GA &PG again wrote a letter to the PIO, office of Governor
asking him to provide
the information to the
applicant at the earliest.
6.
Finding delay
in supply of the information, I made first appeal dated 16.8.19., to the First Appellate Authority, Office of Governor, Odisha to
provide the information.
On 16.9.19., the First
Appellate authority , while
disposing the case wrote
a letter that the said
information is not available.
7.
On 28.8.19., the Chief Information Commissioner closed
the case issuing
warning and strictures to the PIO and First Appellate Authority of Dept. of home for
taking almost three
years to speak
the fact about
non-availability of report
of Lokpal. The
copy of the order
of the Commission is awaited.
Pradip
Pradhan
M-9937843482
Date-
20.9.19
No comments:
Post a Comment