Seize Corrupt Indian Assets: Proposed Lokpal Bill

May 31, 2011 - PRLog -- http://www.economywatch.com/economy-business-and-finance-news/seize-corrupt-indian-assets-proposed-lokpal-bill.31-05.html

The threat of serving a jail sentence doesn’t seem to deter corrupt officials anymore according to activists in New Delhi. After all, he can enjoy the ill-gotten gains after his sentence. Now, a drafting committee agreed to confiscate and liquidate assets obtained through corruption under the proposed Lokpal bill.

Sources speaking to the Times of India said that in case of a complaint of corruption, the Lokpal can order an "interdiction", that is an order preventing the public servant from transferring any asset. At the conclusion of the investigation, if the person is convicted for corruption, the court will have to decide what is the loss caused to the government and allocate that loss to the guilty party. Civil society sources said that the government in principle had agreed to this proposal but modalities needed to be worked out and there were still certain reservations on the timing of this "confiscation" of property.

Government sources said,

"We have agreed that if a public servant has amassed wealth through corrupt means and it is proved so, then the assets will be confiscated."
The Lokpal will have powers to give appropriate directions to prevent destruction of records during investigations and prevent the public servant from secreting assets allegedly acquired by him through corrupt means.
HRD minister Kapil Sibal said that there was also an agreement in the meeting that the Lokpal will have power to look into any matter of corruption against public servants.

"The basic idea is to have an empowered Lokpal, which will have full autonomy, independence from the government and which will have powers to investigate complaints of corruption, prosecute all public servants. This principle is non-negotiable," he said.

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