Parrikar orders four enquiries against babu-cum-RTI activist

Panaji, Aug 4 (IANS) Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday announced four separate official enquiries into the activities of prolific RTI activist and government servant Kashinath Shetye, who over the last few years has filed 195 litigations against government agencies and officials over environment, corruption related issues and systemic failures in governance.

While a ruling BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral has already moved a privilege motion against Shetye, who works as a junior engineer with the state Electricity Department, Parrikar told the ongoing monsoon session of the state legislative assembly that Shetye's activities as a government servant and his assets would be probed by various agencies, including a specially set up team headed by an All India cadre officer from the IAS or IPS.

"195 cases in five years, 459 leave applications. I am wondering when was he working for the government," Parrikar said, in response to a question from Cabral.

Parrikar also said that Shetye's disproportionate assets case would be probed by the anti-corruption bureau, an enquiry would be initiated into how he obtained a gun licence, a vigilance department team would assist an IPS/IAS officer in another probe and another independent probe will verify whether Shetye has violated central civil service rules, during his tenure in government service.

"I will appoint a senior person, preferably from all India cadre," the Chief Minister said.

"I cannot tell many things because you have also moved a privilege motion against the person so some investigation is a part of privilege motion," Parrikar said.

The privilege motion was filed by Cabral, after Shetye uploaded a legislative assembly question submitted by Cabral to the Speaker's office, on his Facebook wall.

The MLA's question sought to know the details of Shetye's attendance and the number of litigations filed by the bureaucrat.

Shetye's litigations in local courts, Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court as well as the National Green Tribunal, over issues related to graft, environment and systemic failures in governance have been widely reported in the local media over the last few years.

His videos attacking corruption in government in his own unimitable style have also gone viral on social media.