Contingent arrested by CBI in Central Excise office - who will bail him out?
A Commissioner (Appeals), two superintendents and a contingent employee were arrested by CBI yesterday in Trichy, caught red handed with a bribe of Rs. 20,000/- . There were too many red hands. One Superintendent receives the money, allegedly hands it over the Commissioner who hands it over to another Superintendent who hands it over the poor contingent employee. And all of them are in CBI custody. These contingent employees who do almost all the work in the offices are daily wage labourers who make about Rs. 1500/- a month with absolutely no perks or job security. Now this contingent employee arrested in Trichy will immediately lose his job, there will be nobody to bail him out and later to defend him in the courts. He is almost sure to be convicted in the first court and he might have a chance in the High Court if he can get a good lawyer. But can a man for whom the daily food is the major problem afford to sit in jail and fight a long legal battle? What will happen to his family? Does any one really bother?
Incidentally as per the Transfer Policy of the CBEC, the Commissioner (Appeals) post is non sensitive! And so is Commissioner (Adjudication). When will CBEC realise that it is adjudication which is the most sensitive of all?
It is unfortunate that the department gets such frequent beatings with senior officers routinely getting into the CBI net.