CAG Officer Exonerated Amid Concerns Over Accountability

CAG Officer Given Clean Chit

The Probe has learnt that a senior officer at the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) of India has been exonerated in a case that was under investigation against him.

Rajiv Kumar Pandey, a 1994-batch IAAS officer, served as Principal Director of Audit in Washington D.C. from 2015 to 2017 during the tenure of former CAG Shashi Kant Sharma. Following his return, disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him by the CAG over alleged irregularities during his foreign posting.

Sources revealed that despite the initiation of proceedings, no significant action was taken. A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had previously raised concerns with the C&AG’s office about the alleged mishandling of Pandey’s case. This, The Probe has learnt, prompted a fresh investigation into the matter.

CAG Officer Given Clean Chit

The Probe has learnt that a senior officer at the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) of India has been exonerated in a case that was under investigation against him.

Rajiv Kumar Pandey, a 1994-batch IAAS officer, served as Principal Director of Audit in Washington D.C. from 2015 to 2017 during the tenure of former CAG Shashi Kant Sharma. Following his return, disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him by the CAG over alleged irregularities during his foreign posting.

Sources revealed that despite the initiation of proceedings, no significant action was taken. A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had previously raised concerns with the C&AG’s office about the alleged mishandling of Pandey’s case. This, The Probe has learnt, prompted a fresh investigation into the matter.

Pandey, currently serving as the Director General of Audit (Central Expenditure) in New Delhi, holds a critical position within the organisation. Pandey was being investigated by Anand Mohan Bajaj, a 1990-batch IAAS officer who serves as the Deputy Auditor General (Commercial and CTO) at the headquarters.

CAG’s Response to The Probe

On November 14, 2024, The Probe sent a detailed query to then CAG Girish Chandra Murmu regarding the allegations against Pandey. The query, sent just days before Murmu’s retirement on November 20, sought clarity on actions taken by the C&AG’s office.

The questionnaire highlighted specific allegations, including the purported falsification of travel allowances by Pandey during his tenure in Washington from June 29, 2015, to September 7, 2017. It also sought details about any investigations conducted against him and their outcomes.

In a reply dated November 15, the CAG stated: “A penalty was imposed on Shri Rajeev Pandey and inquiry has been conducted against him.”

While the C&AG’s response acknowledged an inquiry and the imposition of a penalty, it failed to address the second investigation reportedly initiated after a reprimand from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). The initial inquiry had not resulted in substantive action.

Now, highly placed sources have informed The Probe that shortly before his retirement, CAG Murmu gave Pandey a clean chit, effectively closing the matter. 

Erosion of Credibility Threatens CAG's Autonomy

The C&AG office continues to grapple with allegations of corruption, cronyism, and procedural violations, raising serious concerns about the autonomy of this critical constitutional body. The Probe had earlier reported on controversies within the C&AG’s office, leading to the suspension of senior official Vishal Desai Bapusaheb. In Part 1 of our investigative series, we exposed a troubling pattern of controversial foreign postings, allegations of misconduct, and systemic oversight failures by the C&AG, including awarding a lucrative foreign posting to a tainted official. 

In Part 2 of our series, we revealed how several crucial audits were inexplicably stalled by the C&AG’s office. Internal sources alleged that political considerations influenced these delays, adding to the perception that the institution is increasingly succumbing to external pressures.

Leaked Delhi Audit Report Sparks Controversy

A recent incident has further tarnished the C&AG’s credibility. An audit report related to the Delhi government was leaked before it was officially tabled in the Delhi Assembly. The report, which became the basis for a BJP press conference targeting the Aam Aadmi Party, sparked widespread controversy ahead of the Delhi elections.

According to rules, CAG reports are privileged documents intended for first review by Parliament or the State Legislative Assemblies. According to the constitutional provisions: “The reports of the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India relating to the accounts of the Union shall be submitted to the President, who shall cause them to be laid before each House of Parliament. The reports of the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India relating to the accounts of a State shall be submitted to the Governor of the State, who shall cause them to be laid before the Legislature of the State.”

This process ensures that elected representatives have the first opportunity to scrutinise the findings. The premature leak of the Delhi government’s audit report raises serious questions. Did the report leak from the Lieutenant Governor’s office or the C&AG’s office? If so, does this not amount to a violation of constitutional provisions? What steps, if any, is the C&AG’s office taking to investigate this breach?

The C&AG’s failure to address such incidents decisively is eroding its credibility. The sanctity of this constitutional office is being compromised, as evident from repeated lapses. The independence of the C&AG is essential to ensuring accountability and transparency in governance, yet it appears increasingly vulnerable to political interference and internal mismanagement.

As The Probe continues its investigative series, we will examine these pressing issues further, emphasising why the autonomy and credibility of the CAG must be preserved at all costs.