Corporate graft: CVC, CBI chiefs appear before Parliamentary panel

NEW DELHI: The heads of the Central Vigilance Commission and the Central Bureau of Investigation today appeared before a parliamentary committee, which is considering a Bill to check corruption in private sector and criminalise foreign bribery.

Official sources said Central Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar and CBI Director A P Singh gave their views on the matter before the panel.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, headed by Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, is examining the Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of Public International Organisations Act-2011 aimed at criminalising foreign bribery and offences thereof.

The Bill has been passed by the Lok Sabha and awaiting nod from the upper house of Parliament.

The sources said that both Kumar and Singh are understood to have given their nod for bringing corporates and foreign bribery under the ambit of the proposed law.

They said that the Special Director of the Enforcement Directorate had also appeared before the committee to give his agency's views on it.

"The Committee is considering bringing corporates or private industrial houses under the ambit of the proposed bill," a source said.

The Bill prohibits accepting gratification by foreign public officials as also giving gratification to foreign public officials, while also proposing provisions for rendering assistance and cooperation among nations and making the offence punishable to a minimum of six months jail term to a maximum of seven years.