“The Commission directes the respondents to issue necessary directions to ‘record officers' designated under Public Records Act, 1993 and ‘Public Information Officers' designated under RTI Act, 2005 to secure, keep safe and undertake not to destroy, displace or in any other way tamper with or dislocate or dislodge or disturb any official document in the custody of various departments of GNCTD,” he said.
In his complaint to the CIC, Nayak said if the apprehension of destruction of records becomes true it would cause irreparable loss because the evidence or corruption or innocence would be destroyed forever.
Nayak argued that it may block many future RTI responses by public authorities because of absence of record due to destruction and it might even lead to a situation where criminal justice cannot be administered by proper investigation and prosecution of offenders.
He stressed that he was neither relying on rumours nor raising hue and cry on suspicions but interested in securing public records which might become clinching evidences of offences and finally result in effective implementation of rule of law.
Admitting the complaint, newly appointed Information Commissioner said it discloses reasonable apprehension of commission of cognisable offence which if not prevented, would cause serious consequences to administration of criminal justice and affecting the rule of law.
Updated on: December 27, 2013 23:27 IST
