The commission, led by retired Calcutta High Court judge Biswajit Basu, will look into corruption allegations spanning multiple sectors, including education, food and supplies, disaster relief, municipal and panchayat bodies, housing, fisheries, industries, public works, land administration, and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), he mentioned.
This decision was made due to “widespread public concern” regarding accusations of institutional corruption and financial irregularities during the specified timeframe, as stated in an official notification.
The commission will include a senior IPS officer to oversee the investigative arm, an IAS or WBCS officer serving as the head of the administrative section and ex-officio member secretary, alongside a West Bengal Revenue Service officer acting as a technical expert, it reported.
A senior government official indicated that the panel is tasked with conducting an independent investigation into claims of institutional corruption across departments and recommending corrective measures when necessary.
“The commission is charged with a broad mandate to scrutinize allegations of institutional corruption, financial misconduct, and authority abuse throughout government departments during the specified duration. It will operate independently under the Commissions of Inquiry Act,” the official informed PTI.
The panel is required to submit periodic reports to the state government and suggest that FIRs be filed by the appropriate police authorities whenever it identifies anomalies or irregularities.
“If the commission finds any material that necessitates criminal action, it can recommend immediate FIR registration by the relevant police authorities. Its findings and recommendations will be communicated to the government through regular reports,” another official noted.
The notification mentions that the panel will investigate alleged irregularities in government schemes and projects, including the Cyclone Amphan rehabilitation efforts, PMAY, the 100-day rural employment program, and the mid-day meal initiative.
It is also tasked with examining accusations of public fund misuse, authority abuse, unlawful arrests, initiation of false cases, unauthorized constructions, corruption in public recruitment, and irregularities within educational institutions such as schools, colleges, universities, and medical colleges.
The commission will further investigate instances of misuse or misappropriation of funds associated with both state and centrally sponsored schemes, and may propose actions to recover such funds, including property attachments where applicable, as outlined in the notification.
The panel will possess the authority provided under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, including summoning witnesses, examining individuals under oath, and requisitioning public documents, it stated.
Additionally, it has been empowered to accept complaints from the public, review them, and record testimonies during the inquiry.
However, the panel is not permitted to interfere with issues already being reviewed by statutory commissions or those investigated by central agencies, the notification concluded.
