CIC asks Customs to release list of convicted officials

The Central Information Commission (CIC), after responding to a Right To Information (RTI) request asking for information on officers caught, convicted or jailed for smuggling gold and heroin, and other illegal activities over the last 10 years, has directed the Customs Department to do so, the Hindu reported on Monday.

CIC said that this information should be made available in public interest and also called for making public details of officers convicted or jailed for giving false statements or evidence.

The RTI request was originally sent to the Chief Commissioner of Customs in Amritsar but the Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) denied the initial request as it said that the data requested “pertained to personal information of employees” and in the appeals case, CPIO said no such list was maintained by the department.

However, on Friday, Central Information Commissioner Bimal Julka ruled that the information should be disclosed voluntarily “for the sake of transparency and accountability in the public authority.”

“Such information cannot be held as a personal information and such information deserves to be given to expose the corrupt person in the public,” he added citing prior cases, according to the Hindu.