Wet blanket

CBI’s search

It seems the CBI is finding it impossible to appoint a special public prosecutor to try the 2G scam case,which will kick off immediately after the CBI files its chargesheet on April 2 in a Special Court exclusively set up for the purpose. The reason,according to senior advocate K K Venugopal who is representing the agency in the Supreme Court,is that lawyers of “some eminence” which it had approached with the brief have refused the assignment. Most of them have already been hired by one or the other private telecom companies which are under scrutiny in the scam. Though the Supreme Court has now urged the Bar to consider taking up the prosecutor’s mantle as a public duty,lawyers remain skeptical because it would mean focussing for a long period on one single case which would inevitably mean that their private practice would suffer.

Dogged by corruption

The taint of corruption just doesn’t seem to leave the Medical Council of India (MCI). While a six-member Board of Governors was appointed to the MCI in a bid to clean up the organisation after former MCI president Dr Ketan Desai was allegedly caught taking a bribe,it is not like the MCI is now controversy free. Though the Health Ministry even gave this Board an extension of term recently,it is now inundated with complaints of corruption against the members of this Board. Considering that of late differences have emerged over certain issues between the MCI and the Health Ministry,these complaints are being viewed with seriousness even though their veracity is yet to be established.

Eternal vigilance

His unceremonious exit did not prevent former Chief Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas from challenging the issue in court and many others are learning from his example. The latest is chief of National Council for Technical Education (NCTE) M A Siddiqui. The ACC recently approved repatriation orders for him after Vigilance inquiries found him guilty on charges of corruption and the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry also issued similar orders. However,it is learnt that thanks to the poor drafting of this order by the ministry,there was a loophole which has allowed Siddiqui to challenge the order in Court. So despite ACC orders,the tainted Siddiqui continues to enjoy his position at NCTE.

When the boss is away

While several corporate houses have declared Wednesday a semi-holiday so that employees can catch the Indo-Pak match,work at government offices across the capital is expected to come to a grinding halt as well. Already,a number of appointments,meetings and conferences have been rescheduled. At least two engagements slated for March 30 involving Minister Kapil Sibal have been put off to another date. While a telecom press conference planned for Wednesday afternoon was put off only because of the Indo-Pak semi-final,the Higher Education round table — a high level brainstorming meet to evolve a strategy for the first Indo-US Education summit — has also been re-scheduled. Even in the Ministry of External Affairs,a dinner to be hosted by a senior Joint Secretary has been put off,with many senior diplomats heading for Mohali. Babus at the Defence Ministry will also have a light day as all important meetings and conferences were concluded by Tuesday evening. as A K Antony is heading to Kerala for two weeks of campaigning. Even the daily media briefing held by the Congress party has been cancelled for the day. It is still not clear if the BJP will follow suit but a leader said that it would not be held unless there is a pressing issue. The Constitution Club,on the other hand,has announced that a big screen will be put up if MPs want to come and watch the match.