Lack of Punishment

5.3 Lack of Punishment

A contributory factor to the growth of corruption in India is that the cases
relating to corruption are often handled in a casual and clumsy manner. Those in
hierarchy vested with disciplinary powers shirk duty and show unwillingness to
use their powers against corrupt practices. This may be due to different reasons
like political or trade union pressure, vested interests, or sheer ineptitude in
handling criminal investigation. The result is that the corrupt are rarely caught
and even if caught are let off with minor or no penalties. The government officials

entrusted with the responsibility of dealing with corruption do it in a most
inefficient and lethargic manner and this suits the political leadership which
patronises corruption.
The judicial system is so expensive, dilatory, and inefficient that it takes
years and years for corruption cases to be decided. The infamous Harshad
Mehta case of organised corruption in the stock exchanges of India, in which
small investors lost thousands of crores of rupees, has been in the courts for
almost a decade now and as yet there is no indication of its nearing any decision.
The result of such inordinate delay is that the accused often escape punishment
because a long time span has an adverse effect on the evidence in a case. The
conviction rate in the Indian courts is only 6%. There are three crore cases
pending in the Indian courts and average time taken for disposal of cases is from
10-20 years (Vittal 1999). Justice delayed is justice denied in most cases of
corruption.

entrusted with the responsibility of dealing with corruption do it in a most
inefficient and lethargic manner and this suits the political leadership which
patronises corruption.
The judicial system is so expensive, dilatory, and inefficient that it takes
years and years for corruption cases to be decided. The infamous Harshad
Mehta case of organised corruption in the stock exchanges of India, in which
small investors lost thousands of crores of rupees, has been in the courts for
almost a decade now and as yet there is no indication of its nearing any decision.
The result of such inordinate delay is that the accused often escape punishment
because a long time span has an adverse effect on the evidence in a case. The
conviction rate in the Indian courts is only 6%. There are three crore cases
pending in the Indian courts and average time taken for disposal of cases is from
10-20 years (Vittal 1999). Justice delayed is justice denied in most cases of
corruption.