An alleged case of corruption against its official has stumped the Union home ministry after it came to light that Pankaj Mishra, a senior secretariat assistant in the foreigners division, was allegedly accepting bribe from Pakistani immigrants to grant them long-term visa (LTV).
The case has possible national security ramifications as granting of long-term visas to Pakistani immigrants involves high level of diligence and checks by multiple security agencies. It was under Home Minister Rajnath Singh that the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) division had relaxed rules for granting long-term visas to religious minorities suffering persecution in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan. While earlier the LTV granted a five-year stay, the changes allowed them to stay for an indefinite period if their case requirements were met.
The ministry has swung into action to examine how such LTVs were being granted after Rajasthan ATS clamped down on this alleged bribery racket last week where Mishra was found complacent.
The MHA on Thursday suspended Mishra even as it launched a preliminary inquiry under the Central Secretariat Rules to examine the case of alleged misconduct by Mishra.
Three others were arrested along with Mishra. They were identified as Ashok, Govind and Bhagwan Ram, who were Pakistani immigrants looking for extension of their visas under the LTV category.
Sources said Mishra had traveled to Rajasthan for some other official work when he was arrested for allegedly accepting bribe from the Pakistani immigrants.
The MHA inquiry will be done by a senior officer of the level of joint secretary to examine whether it is a fit case of censure or dismissal under the CSS rules. The committee, which will be constituted to conduct the inquiry, will also give Mishra a chance to explain himself by serving a showcase notice first.
Incidentally, Mishra’s case has become a huge embarrassment for the MHA as he has been serving in the ministry for more than five years, holding critical posts. He was in the MHA’s media wing for many years, organising the ministry‘s meetings and drafting press releases before he was transferred to the crucial FCRA wing.
The MHA’s FCRA wing has been in the news for wrong reasons for the last two years. In 2016, Anand Joshi, working as an under secretary in the division, was quietly shunted out when senior officials realised that he had arbitrarily issues notices to at least 20 NGOs drawing huge foreign funding, and was organising meetings with them later.
Joshi was arrested months later and the CBI was handed over the investigation. A similar modus operandi is learnt to have been adopted by Mishra, who was allegedly stalling the process of granting LTVs by referring it to different departments and in the interim meeting the immigrants and allegedly demanding bribe.
The MHA is expected to work on a war footing now to plug the gaps in the functioning of its crucial departments.