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Ms. Yasmin Ahmed, IAS and myself are advisors to the Board. The Board consists of eminent members like Sasikala Subramania, Advocate, educationists like Indirani and Damayanthi Sivaraman, Dr. Kanchana Kamalanathan, Dr Padma, and others. We work in an honorary capacity. This Board comes under the Social Welfare Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. General Sensitisation for Police and Legal Literacy for College Students are the two main objectives of the Board. We work for creation of awareness among the police force about the manner in which they should receive a complainant, how they should behave or speak with the affected persons, during an enquiry etc. Under the Legal Literacy for College Students, we select two professors from each women’s college and conduct a training programme for them in constitution and general law. The idea is to spread such knowledge to the students, through them. Q: What are the activities of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption? I have been associated with this directorate for the past 4˝ years. I am its director form 1998. Whenever we receive complaints against the officials of the State Government or politicians in power, we investigate them. Normally, we first go into the genuineness of the complaint, ascertain the reputation of the person complained against and collect evidence. If the person is found guilty, we inform the government and initiate proceeding with the permission of the government. Q: Who do you think, in your experience, is more corrupt, officials or the politicians? As a press-person, you should be able to tell me. And, you expect me to tell you! (Laughs) There are honest officials and honest politicians too. As far as I am concerned, corruption starts when need becomes greed. Greed is the seed of all corruption. Q: We see in recent times Special Courts enquiring into cases of corrupt ex-ministers or officials and find them guilty of amassing crores worth of assets, disproportionate to their income. Of course, these persons are punished by the Courts. But, it appears that once they serve their sentence and come out of gaol, they are free to enjoy their wealth. Is there no provision in law to confiscate their assets that they earned by corrupt practices? We – and that includes the CBI – investigate such cases, assess the extent of the wealth disproportionate to the income of the person concerned and attach it even as we file a case in the Court. If the crime is proved, the attached property is handed over to the Government. If it is not, we go on appeal to the higher court. Supposing a case is proved and the defendant prefers to go on appeal to the higher courts, he or she can take possession of the assets that were attached, only on getting an interim injunction from the Court. Q: Do you have any suggestions to reduce – if not prevent – corruption? There should be more transparency in government. There are a number of instances when government enters into a contract. It may be procurement of computers, laying of roads, construction of housing accommodation, just anything. There are specific rules governing the invitation tenders, how and in whose presence they should be opened, etc. These should be made more public. The public should be kept informed of developments at each stage. This would pave the way to discourage corrupt practices to a very great extent. Q: How do you manage your official duties and family responsibilities? My husband Ashok Saran is an entrepreneur. We have a daughter, Uthra who is doing her +2. I try to complete all my official duties while I am in the office. As far as possible, I avoid doing my office work at home. Once I step into the house, I become as normal as any housewife is supposed to be. I don’t act as a senior police officer any further. My husband, our daughter and myself discuss and share our expectations from each other and fulfil them. My husband shares our household responsibilities with me. He takes considerable part in the upbringing of our daughter. Therefore, I don’t have any difficulty in managing my home, either. Q: Have been sent abroad, for training? Yes. I was sent to Australia for a four-month training programme under the Executive Development Programme of the State Government. Q: The police officers have a general reputation for their fat bodies and potbellies. But you have been maintaining a trim appearance right from the beginning of your career. Would you share the secret with us? (Laughs) I eat a very normal diet. You see, when one goes through the rigorous training of the police department, one has a lot of physical exercises to do and would be trim when taking up the career. As the days roll by, the person is not able to stick to his or her schedule. He or she is not able to eat in time, even. There would be no time left for any physical exercise. Naturally, they put on weight. I allot sufficient time for physical exercises in my everyday schedule. I have been practising yoga for at least 45 minutes in the morning, for the past five years. I do this as a matter of strict routine, wherever I am. That makes it possible. Interviewed by Viththagan |
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Q: What is your role as the honorary advisor of the women welfare board of the State?
