Real Games Begin: 1962 batch retired IAS, VK Shunglu to probe corruption allegations related to Commonwealth Games

A DAY after the Commonwealth Games ended with much fun-fare, the real Games virtually begin. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Friday night appointed a high-level committee headed by former CAG and 1962 batch retired IAS, V K Shunglu to go into allegations of corruption related to the mega sporting event. Shunglu, who was the Comptroller and Auditor General between 1996 and 2002 and has been a trail blazer in ongoing crusade of forcing civil servants declaring their assets, will prepare a report in three months.

A postgraduate in history from the University of Delhi, Shunglu joined IAS in 1962 and rose up the ladder to become special secretary in the ministry of power and then secretary in the department of company affairs, ministry of health and family welfare and then department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP). He was also an alternate leader of the Indian Delegation at the International Conference on Population held in Cairo.

Shunglu had also served in Asian Development Bank in Manila and at the Economic Development Institute of the World Bank.

Thanks to his innings as CAG, he was also made the chairman of the UN Board of Auditors General and a member of the UN Panel of External Auditors. Shunglu was also appointed as the external auditor of the International Maritime Organization headquartered at London and of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) at Rome.

In corridors of power, Shunglu is known more as an anti-corruption activist. When five bureaucrats from UP declared their assets last year under the initiative of a low-profile anti-corruption organization called India Rejuvenation Initiative (IRI), very few people know that Shunglu was one of the guiding forces of the initiative. Along with former Punjab Director General of Police Julio Rebeiro, former air force chief S Krishnaswamy and former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) JM Lyngdoh, Shunglu is also a member of IRI.

Even before the judges’ campaign started on declaring assets, Shunglu and a few others wrote to the Prime Minister saying that public service conduct rules should be amended and assets of bureaucrats should be in the public domain.

Babu-turned politician PL Punia becomes NCSC chairman

PL Punia, a 1970 batch IAS officer of UP cadre and Congress MP from Barabanki, assumed charge of the post of chairman, National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) on Friday. Punia, who was the principal secretary to UP chief minister Mayawati, before both fell out on Taj Heritage corridor case. Punia lost his battle in assembly polls of 2002 because of Mayawati’s concerted effort, but won the war as he bounced back in 2009 Parliamentary polls.