COMPLAINTS HANDLING POLICY
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Complaint from public, various administrative authorities, NGOs, etc., are important sources of information for identification of vigilance related issues in the Railways. Complaints to the Vigilance are thus meant to result in punitive action against the erring public servant(s). Relief as such in the matter to the complaint is only incidental to the Vigilance action. Redressal of grievances vis-a-vis Government Organizations or public sector enterprise should not be the focus of complaints to the Vigilance.
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Complaints can be lodged only against railway officials/matters over which Chief Vigilance Officer/ICF has jurisdiction.
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The complainant should note that:
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The pre-requisite for investigation of a complaint, barring certain exceptions, is that the complaint should be signed and contain the name and address of the complainant. Any complaint that does not bear the name and address of the complainant is an anonymous complaint. A complaint which does not bear the full particulars of the complainant or is unsigned or is not subsequently acknowledged by a complainant as having not been made is a pseudonymous complaint. Pseudonymous complaints will be referred to the complainant for confirmation/ genuineness verification and if no response is received from the complainant within 15 days of sending the complaint, a reminder will be sent. After waiting for 15 days of sending the reminder, if still no response is received, the said complaint will be filed as pseudonymous complaint. The Vigilance department will not entertain both anonymous and pseudonymous complaints.
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Complaints sent on email should contain postal address and mobile/telephone number, if any, of the sender. Complaints received on email without this information will be treated as anonymous or pseudonymous and filed with no action.
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ACTION AGAINST PERSONS MAKING FALSE COMPLAINTS
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If a complaint against a public servant is found to be malicious, vexatious or unfounded, it should be considered seriously whether action should be taken against the complainant for making a false complaint.
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Under Section 182 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, a person making false complaint can be prosecuted. Section 182 reads as follows:
“Whoever gives to any public servant any information which he knows or believes to be false, intending thereby to cause, or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby cause, such public servant:
(i) to do or omit anything which such public servant ought not to do or omit if the true state of facts respecting which such information is given were known by him, or
(ii) to use the lawful power of such public servant to the injury or annoyance of any person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.
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If the person making a false complaint is a public servant, it may be considered whether Departmental action should be taken against him as an alternative to prosecution.
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WITHDRAWAL OF COMPLAINTS
Once a complainant confirms the complaint and action has been initiated for inquiry/ investigation, it is not permissible to withdraw/ stop such enquiry/ investigation even if the complainant withdraws his complaint. The allegations contained in the complaint will be taken to its logical conclusion irrespective of complainant’s request for withdrawal of the complaint.
All complaints should be addressed to:
Chief Vigilance Officer,
Integral Coach Factory,
Chennai – 600 038
