DG ACE directed to make public cases FIRs, verdicts’ details in 14 days

LAHORE: The Punjab Information Commission [RTI – Right to Information Commission] has directed the director general (DG) Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) to make public hundreds of cases FIRs and details of decisions of cases and inquiries within 14 days.

The commission issued these directions while deciding four different applications, filed for the purpose. Chief Commissioner Mahboob Qadir Shah said in his order that the ACE director general should himself display all details of the cases on official website of his department.

According to the documents, available with the reporter, the chief commissioner, however, exempted details of all under-trial cases and the recoveries being made by the ACE, from being made public. The Information Commission gave references of Police Order 2002, CrPC 1898, Police Rules 1934, Anti-Corruption Rules 5(4), 10(6), Rule 34, and sections 13 and 24 of the Right to Information Act 2013 while issuing the orders.

Earlier, the ACE had released details of cases and decisions from 2005 to 2018 on its website. The chief commissioner warned that action would be taken against ACE director general under Section 15 of the Right to Information Act, including imposition of fine, if the complainants were denied required information.