Since 2018, CBI filed cases against 216 civil servants: Govt in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered cases against 216 civil servants in more than five years, Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

Giving a state-wise break-up, the government said 39 civil servants were from Maharashtra, 22 from Jammu and Kashmir, 21 from Delhi, 17 from Uttar Pradesh and 14 from Karnataka among others.

"During the last five years viz. 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 (up to 30.06.2023), the CBI has registered cases against 216 number of civil service officers," Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply.

Of the total civil servants facing cases, 12 were from Bihar, 11 from Tamil Nadu, nine each from Gujarat, Haryana and Kerala, and eight each from Punjab, Rajasthan and Telangana, according to the reply.

"The All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, and the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964, lay down the code of conduct for central government employees to which every member of the service shall, at all times, follow," Singh said.

The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, imparts training to officer trainees through appropriate courses keeping in view national aspirations and constant feedback, he said.

"This also inter alia includes imbibing the spirit of nationalism, citizen centricity and financial integrity," the minister said.

"The government of India had approved the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building – Mission Karmayogi - in September 2020 with the objective to create a professional, well-trained and future-looking civil service, that is imbued with a shared understanding of India's developmental aspirations, national programs and priorities," Singh said.

In another reply, the minister said that the CBI has registered 135 cases -- regular cases and preliminary inquiries -- against various civil service officers during 2018 to June 2023.

"Out of these 135 cases, charge-sheets have been filed in 57 cases in the courts concerned for trial," he said.

Of these cases, sanction for prosecution is pending for more than two years in two cases, Singh said.

In the last five years (2018 to 2022), the Central Vigilance Commission has recommended action against 12,756 officers during first stage advice and 887 officers during second stage advice, he said.

"Out of this, grant of sanction of prosecution was advised in respect of 719 officers," the minister added.